The first time Maria Julia Menezes heard about Colorado State University, it was through students who had participated in exchange programs at CSU. While researching management engineering in pursuit of her doctoral degree in her home country of Brazil, she discovered a substantial volume of work published by members of CSU’s Department of Construction Management, particularly CM Associate Professor, Svetlana Olbina. Menezes then knew she wanted to collaborate with Olbina.
A year ago, with the support and encouragement of her in-country adviser, Luciana Hazin of Brazil’s Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Menezes applied to the Visiting Scholar Program at CSU. She contacted Olbina, who agreed to become a co-adviser for Menezes’ Ph.D. pursuit. Her doctoral work builds on her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, master’s degree in management engineering, and second master’s in business administration.
Research focused on technology in construction management
From a research perspective, Menezes has been studying the adoption and operationalization of Building Information Modeling, or BIM, technology in conjunction with project management since 2015 during her undergraduate studies, when she began to work as a research volunteer. During her master’s degree work, she delved into the decision-making process related to the integration of BIM with agile project management methodologies. In her doctoral research, she aims to develop project management models for BIM-based projects.
Menezes focuses her research on project management and technology specific to the field of construction management. In this context, she explores the introduction of BIM in public institutions, the project management models that emerge for BIM-based projects, as well as decision-making processes.
In the infrastructure construction industry, Menezes has had opportunities to work in various areas. She worked as a structural project designer for bridges and viaducts, as a CM professional in planning, scheduling, estimating, and construction site management. Currently, she works as a public project manager, handling projects ranging from social housing to urbanization of informal settlements and special projects.
Among the academic activities she engaged in during her visit, she audited several courses that were of great importance to her education and development. In addition to the courses offered by the Department of Construction Management and School of Education, she also participated in various workshops and certified courses organized by CSU GradWrites, as well as training sessions in Python and Systematic Literature Review provided by the CSU Library. Concurrently, she was able to progress in her research and development of her doctoral dissertation.
Welcomed by hosts
Menezes was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming and supportive everyone was, both in Fort Collins and at CSU. “It definitely exceeded my expectations,” she said. “I also appreciated the vast array of resources available for students, including essential services, career guidance, and academic and psychological support.”
“Beyond being a university that provides numerous academic opportunities,” said Menezes, “CSU, as well as the city of Fort Collins, are welcoming to people, creating an environment where we can feel comfortable and safe to develop ourselves.”
During her time at CSU, Menezes had the opportunity to take part in various activities organized by the university. Some of these activities included hiking, career fairs, pumpkin carving, football games, activities at the campus recreation center, volunteering at Habitat for Humanity, and joining CM club activities, among others. One characteristic of the graduate student body is that the majority are international students, which provided her with a culturally enriching experience.
Pride of Brazil
Menezes describes herself as a very home-oriented person, who loves spending time with family and friends. She is passionate about teaching, learning, and exchanging experiences, in general. She enjoys being surrounded by animals. Some of her hobbies include cooking to share, outdoor activities, going to the cinema, watching crime investigation TV shows, and traveling. “I’m always packed and ready to go!”
Being passionate about Brazil, Menezes professes she could “talk for hours” about her country and hometown. But one thing she always likes to emphasize is that “Brazil is often stereotyped as a country known only for soccer, Rio, and samba,” she said.
“However, it’s important to recognize that Brazil is a diverse and complex nation that faces many social and economic challenges. Despite these challenges, Brazilians are known for their creativity, resilience, and rich cultural history. As a ‘teenage’ nation, Brazil has a unique and strong personality that sets it apart from other countries.”
The Department of Construction Management is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
