Directory profile for Dr. Hannah Kessler

Dr. Hannah Kessler is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at The University of Alabama.

Her research focuses on characterizing and leveraging innovative technologies to develop safe, resilient, and sustainable structural solutions. Specifically, she investigates the behavior of structural steel and steel–concrete composite systems, with particular emphasis on novel materials (such as additively manufactured steel), fatigue, and fracture. A leading researcher in wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) for structural engineering, Dr. Kessler’s work spans material testing, experimental evaluation of structural systems, numerical simulation, and optimization.

She has contributed to research projects supported by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, the Federal Highway Administration, and the American Institute of Steel Construction. In addition to her research, she is a dedicated mentor and educator who enjoys integrating her scholarly work and engineering practice into the classroom.