José Capa Salinas received his bachelor’s degree in 2017 from Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Ecuador, and his master’s degree in 2021 from Purdue University — both in civil engineering. For his PhD in civil engineering, he remains at Purdue, where he also is pursuing a certificate in teaching and learning in engineering. In 2015, he earned a technical baccalaureate in music from Conservatorio de Música Salvador Bustamante Celi, Ecuador, and he is a cellist with the Purdue Symphony Orchestra. His research involves using uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) to inspect structures for possible defects and provide adequate maintenance. In the future, he will explore novel applications of UAS inspection, improve routine and fracture-critical inspections, and update hazard maps in bridge design. Capa Salinas, a Fulbright Scholar and licensed UAS remote pilot, is a member of the committee on Seismic Design and Performance of Bridges at TRB. He serves as a voting member in one subcommittee and as an associate member in three ASCE/SEI 7-28 subcommittees. He is a lead instructor for Purdue’s Summer College for High School Students, a current mentor with Skype a Scientist, and a returning mentor for the GradTrack program. As a professor, he will provide mental health and diversity resources, communicate his support for LGBTQ+ individuals, extend flexibility for veterans, and accommodate people with disabilities. His aim is for students to leave his classroom saying they “loved every moment here.”

Research Interests

Infrastructure inspection using novel technologies