Biography
Dr. Lenganji Simwanda
Founder & Lead Researcher — AI 4 Risk, Reliability & Resilience (AI4R³) Lab
Senior Lecturer, Northrise University, Ndola, Zambia
Dr. Lenganji Simwanda is a civil and structural engineering researcher specializing in R³ (risk, reliability, and resilience) assessment of infrastructure and innovative materials using artificial intelligence (AI), probabilistic modeling, and generative design. His work bridges cutting-edge computational methods with practical engineering design to deliver safer, more sustainable, and climate-resilient structures.
Before joining the Northrise University, Dr. Simwanda held Assistant Professor and postdoctoral positions at Czecech Technical Univeristy in Prague, the University of South Africa and Stellenbosch University, where he developed data-driven reliability models for ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) and composite steel systems. He has also worked extensively in industry as a structural and geotechnical engineer, leading complex infrastructure projects including bridges, cooling towers, and industrial facilities.
His research has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Outstanding Presentation Award at the 1st International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Structural Engineering (2025) for pioneering work on generative design of UHPC mixes using variational autoencoders and genetic algorithms., and 2026 IABSE Outstanding Scientifc Paper Award published in Structural Engineering International Journal. Dr. Simwanda is an active member of the fib Commission 3 Task Group 3.1 on existing concrete structures and serves as a guest editor and reviewer for top international journals.
Education
PhD in Civil Engineering, Stellenbosch University, South Africa (2022)
MEng in Structural Engineering, University of Zambia, Zambia (2020)
BEng in Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Zambia (2018)