As a NSF IGERT Fellow, she completed her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 2010 and continued at the Mascaro Center as a post-doctoral fellow exploring sustainability and engineering in K-12 education from 2010-2012. Bhavna’s research focus is on the sustainability of infrastructure, from use of non-conventional materials to ways to reduce the energy consumption of existing buildings. Topics of interest include the use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites to retrofit and repair existing buildings and the use of bamboo for residential construction in earthquake prone regions. She continues to pursue international sustainable engineering projects, as well as explore innovative ways in which sustainable engineering concepts and technology will be integrated into K-12 education.