Chicago

I am grateful to have received this scholarship from the Lean Construction Institute, as it supports my interest in Lean Design and Construction and its potential to address urgent challenges like water scarcity. With water depletion becoming an increasingly immediate issue, I am motivated to apply Lean principles to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency in construction. I also appreciate the role of tools like Plannerly and Lean BIM in enhancing workflow and material efficiency, demonstrating how better planning leads to more sustainable outcomes. The Institute’s commitment to supporting students through real-world learning opportunities and financial assistance has made pursuing my goal of becoming a general contractor more accessible. This support has further demystified the field for me and strengthened my commitment to ethical, efficient construction practices.

Xuanchang (Shawn) Liu is a dedicated Ph.D. candidate in Civil Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. With a master’s in Civil Engineering from IIT, Xuanchang has developed a specialized Decision Support System to enhance the selection of building components based on maintainability principles. His doctoral research is pioneering the use of mixed reality in construction safety, aiming to revolutionize training methods and performance assessment in construction engineering training. In the meantime, Xuanchang works as a Civil Engineer intern at KAD Engineering, providing consulting services for transportation projects across the state of Illinois.

Mary Beth is a graduate student in Northwestern University’s Executive Management for Design and Construction (EMDC) master’s program and a Project Manager in Northwestern’s Facilities Management department. She believes Lean Construction principles drive continuous improvement by aligning people, processes, and goals to maximize value, reduce waste, and promote human centered outcomes throughout the built environment. She is particularly passionate about integrating operations teams’ perspectives into design and construction to improve long-term building performance.

My name is Yipeng Qu, and I am a Ph.D. candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology. My academic work focuses on machine learning, computer vision, and efficient problem-solving through research and experimentation. I am interested in Lean Design and Construction because of its emphasis on collaboration, continuous improvement, and reducing waste while maximizing value. As someone who enjoys building practical, efficient systems, I appreciate how Lean principles connect technical thinking with real-world impact. I am honored to be selected for the LCI Chicago CoP Scholarship and excited to learn from professionals and peers in the Lean community.

Vivek Vardhan Jaijar is a graduate student in Construction Management with research experience in construction delay analysis and geopolymer concrete. He has professional experience supporting construction and infrastructure projects and is passionate about improving project delivery through collaboration, efficiency, and innovation. Vivek is particularly interested in Lean Construction principles that reduce waste, improve coordination, and enhance overall project performance. His long-term goal is to contribute to the development of a self-evolving construction management system that continuously learns, adapts, and optimizes project workflows—an approach that truly embodies Lean thinking. Through his academic research and industry experience, he aims to help drive more efficient and sustainable construction practices.