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Join Us

Join our lab.

We're a team with a scientific mission — interdisciplinary, well-funded, and focused on research that matters when disasters strike.

Why the UrbanResilience.AI Lab

Frontier Disaster AI research, real-world impact.

We work at the frontier of Disaster AI, collaborate with research groups across every continent and with industry partners, and care about real-world impact. Our alumni have gone on to faculty positions at Clemson, Purdue, and LSU, and to top industry roles — a record we're proud of.

Scientific mission

Publish at the leading edge of Disaster AI — foundation models, agentic systems, geospatial reasoning.

Well-funded

PhD students receive fully-funded research assistantships by default.

Global collaborators

Partnerships across every continent and with industry, agencies, and communities.

Openings

How to apply.

// PHDPhD Students

We always have openings for truly outstanding PhD students, starting every spring and fall. The lab is well funded: admitted PhD students receive fully-funded research assistantships by default. True enthusiasm and passion for research are the main admission criteria. Given the interdisciplinary nature of Disaster AI, we welcome backgrounds in computer science, civil engineering, data science, spatial computing, and systems engineering.

→ Email Dr. Mostafavi with your CV + statement of research experience and interests

// POSTDOCPostdoctoral Researchers

Postdoc positions open regularly and are evaluated case by case. Strong candidates work on AI methods for disaster resilience — geospatial AI, foundation models, agentic systems, or vision-language methods.

// VISITINGVisiting Scholars & Interns

Self-funded visiting scholars and research interns are welcome to apply; evaluated case by case.

// TAMUTexas A&M Undergraduate & Master's Students

We're always open to working with TAMU undergraduate and master's students on research projects. Email Dr. Mostafavi and specify your interest.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

// Q01What is Disaster AI?

Disaster AI is the emerging scientific area of artificial intelligence for disaster management and urban resilience — large language models, vision-language models, foundation models, and agentic AI systems that help communities anticipate disaster impacts, understand evolving conditions, and support decisions under uncertainty. It is the primary research focus of the UrbanResilience.AI Lab at Texas A&M University.

// Q02How do I join the UrbanResilience.AI Lab as a PhD student?

The lab admits outstanding PhD students every spring and fall, with fully-funded research assistantships by default. Email Dr. Ali Mostafavi at mostafavi@tamu.edu with your CV and a clear statement of your research experience and interests. Enthusiasm and passion for research are the main admission criteria; interdisciplinary backgrounds in computer science, civil engineering, data science, spatial computing, and systems engineering are all welcome.

// Q03What departments do lab members come from?

The UrbanResilience.AI Lab is based in the Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Texas A&M University. Members come from civil engineering (including the AI track), computer science, data science, spatial computing, and systems engineering — reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of Disaster AI.

// Q04Are postdoc positions available?

Yes. Postdoc positions open regularly and are evaluated case by case. Strong candidates work on AI methods for disaster resilience — geospatial AI, foundation models, agentic systems, or vision-language methods. Email Dr. Mostafavi with your CV and a short research statement.

// Q05Can visiting scholars or interns join the lab?

Self-funded visiting scholars and research interns are welcome to apply and are evaluated case by case.

Contact

Ambitious, self-driven, and passionate about science with impact?

Reach out.

Email Dr. Mostafavi

Due to the volume of inquiries we can't respond to every email. Please allow at least two weeks before following up.