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Brian Sheil’s research involves the development of new science and technology to optimise the efficiency, safety and sustainability of underground construction and he teaches construction engineering in the Engineering department.

Academic interests

Brian Sheil’s academic interests include: 

• Soil-structure mechanics in underground construction
• Intelligent underground construction monitoring
• Bayesian machine learning 
• Bespoke sensor development.

Degrees obtained

• BE, NUI Galway.
• PhD, NUIG Galway.

Awards and prizes

• Royal Society International Exchange Award 2022.
• ASCE Journal of Engineering Mechanics Editor Choice Award 2022.
• University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science, Teaching Award 2019/20.
• Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship.
• Junior Research Fellowship at St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford.

Biography

Dr Brian Sheil studied Civil Engineering for his undergraduate degree at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG). He studied the behaviour of deep foundation systems for his PhD (also at NUIG) which involved a period as a Visiting Scholar at University of California, Berkeley.

In 2014, Brian joined the University of Oxford as a postdoctoral researcher in experimental geotechnics focused on industry-funded research projects and was subsequently promoted to departmental lecturer in geotechnical engineering in January 2017. In 2018, he was awarded both a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow at Oxford and a Junior Research Fellowship at St Catherine’s College (Oxford). In January 2021, Brian was appointed to the position of Honorary Research Senior Lecturer at NUIG and in 2022, he was awarded the title of Associate Professor at University of Oxford. He took up his current position as the Laing O'Rourke Associate Professor in Construction Engineering in September 2022.

Other interests

DIY home renovation, hurling (Irish sport), gym.