Nurudeen Lawal

Nurudeen Segun Lawal is a dedicated PhD student at Clemson University, where he is on track to earn his Masters degree in Construction Science in May 2025. His academic journey has been defined by a strong commitment to excellence, innovation, and meaningful contributions to the built environment. Currently, Nurudeen is conducting thesis research funded by the National Academy of Sciences, focusing on developing standardized Standard Operating Procedures for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) within state Departments of Transportation. His research aims to enhance operational consistency, safety, and efficiency in UAS deployment across the transportation sector. He graduated as the top student of his faculty during his undergraduate program in Nigeria, a distinction that laid the foundation for his ongoing pursuit of academic excellence. At Clemson, he has maintained a perfect GPA, balancing rigorous research with teaching and leadership responsibilities. Nurudeen holds several professional certifications that reflect his technical expertise and commitment to lifelong learning, including the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification, AUVSI TOP Operator Level 3, Thermography certification, Electrical system diploma certification and many others. His contributions to academia and the industry have been recognized through numerous awards, most notably the Ralph Edward Knowland Outstanding Graduate Award, which underscores his dedication, leadership, and scholarly accomplishments. Beyond research, Nurudeen serves as the primary instructor for Environmental Systems 2 and the Lab Manager of the Clemson Applied Technology (CAT) Laboratory, where he oversees various research initiatives and mentor students. He also serves as a Co-Principal Investigator on the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 13-10, which focuses on developing national guidelines for the maintenance of UAS in transportation under the Transportation Research Board. Nurudeens passion lies at the intersection of UAS and Artificial Intelligence. He is deeply committed to exploring how emerging technologies can be leveraged to improve infrastructure systems, reduce costs, and increase safety and operational efficiency. Through research, instruction, and interdisciplinary collaboration, he strives to contribute to the advancement of smarter, more resilient, and technology-driven solutions across various sectors.