Dr Jose Norambuena-Contreras

Senior Lecturer in Engineering
Civil Engineering
Available For Postgraduate Supervision

About

Dr Norambuena-Contreras is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering at Swansea University, UK, and a member of the Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute. His research is focused on self-healing bituminous materials for more sustainable and resilient roads. This multidisciplinary research integrates Material Science, Civil Engineering, and Chemical Engineering disciplines. Before joining Swansea, Dr Norambuena-Contreras was an Assistant and Associate Professor in Civil Engineering at the University of Bio-Bio (Chile), where he founded and led the Research Group LabMAT. Prior to this, he held research and postdoctoral positions at several European prestigious institutions, including the GITECO Research Group at the University of Cantabria (Spain), Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology EMPA at ETH-Zürich (Switzerland), and the Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre NTEC at the University of Nottingham (UK). He has also conducted academic stays at the Wuhan University of Technology (China), Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA). In recognition of his contributions to self-healing bituminous materials, Dr. Norambuena-Contreras was awarded the 2024 RILEM Robert L’Hermite Medal by the International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems, and Structures (RILEM). This prestigious award is given to a researcher under 40 years of age who has made an exceptional scientific contribution to the field of construction materials and structures.

Areas Of Expertise

  • Advanced Construction Materials
  • Road Materials and Pavements
  • Self-Healing Bituminous Materials
  • Waste Valorisation Techniques
  • Sustainable Asphalt Mixtures
  • Computational Asphalt Modelling

Career Highlights

Teaching Interests

I am a dedicated academic with a passion for teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students. I strongly believe that education of the future generations of engineers is one of the most significant dimensions of my role as an academic. My students appreciate my passion for teaching and consistently rate me highly for the quality of my teaching.

Over the past few years in Chile, I have taught various courses closely related to my background as a Construction Engineer and my research in Civil Engineering Materials. This includes modules for undergraduate and postgraduate students in MSc and PhD degrees in Civil Engineering, such as Technology of Materials, Innovation in Materials, and Civil Engineering Materials. 

My experience in leading and managing research groups has directed my current teaching interests at Swansea University towards leadership and management courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students, fostering a stimulating and inclusive learning environment for the next generation of engineers.

Research Award Highlights Collaborations