Dr. Catherine O Sullivan

Biography

Catherine O'Sullivan is a professor in the Geotechnics Section of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London since September 2017. She joined the department in 2004 after a two-year period as a lecturer at University College Dublin. She completed her PhD at the University of California, Berkeley in 2002. Catherine is the Head of the Geotechnics Section and serves as the Chief Editor of the ASCE Journal Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. She is also the Deputy Chair of the Faculty of Engineering Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity Committee at Imperial College London. Her primary research interest lies in particulate soil mechanics, utilizing discrete element modeling (DEM) and experimental techniques such as micro-computed tomography (μCT) to examine fundamental sand behavior, reservoir sandstones, and internal erosion interpretation in laboratory tests. She has received recognition for her work, including the 2015 Geotechnique Lecture and the 2016 Shamsher Prakash Research Award. Catherine has authored a textbook titled 'Particulate DEM: Geomechanics Perspective,' published by Taylor Francis in 2011. She is involved in various speaking engagements, including being a keynote speaker at significant conferences and events.

Research Interests