Josephine V. Carstensen

About

Josephine Voigt Carstensen is the Gilbert W. Winslow Career Development Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She leads the Carstensen Group, contributing to the academic and research environment within the department. Professor Carstensen has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award, the Maseeh Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Ole Madsen Mentoring Award, highlighting her commitment to both research and mentorship. She holds a PhD and a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, as well as a Master of Science (MSc) and Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Building Structures from the Technical University of Denmark.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Mathematical optimization
• Structural engineering
• Mathematics
• Engineering
• Applied mathematics
• Mathematical analysis
• Mechanical engineering
• Algorithm
• Electronic engineering

Selected publications

• Truss topology optimization of timber–steel structures for reduced embodied carbon design

  Engineering Structures · 2021 · 41 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  DOI

• Revisiting element removal for density-based structural topology optimization with reintroduction by Heaviside projection

  Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering · 2021 · 34 citations

  DOI

• 3D printing technology in concrete construction

  Nature Reviews Clean Technology · 2025-04-04 · 27 citations

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  PublisherDOI

• Automated planar truss design with reclaimed partially disassembled steel truss components

  Journal of Building Engineering · 2024-01-03 · 16 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  A promising solution to decarbonize steel construction is reusing steel structural components from existing disassembled structures as it avoids sourcing raw material, the heating associated with recycling, and reduces the amount of waste from construction and demolition. However, barriers associated with increasing the use of reused steel components in modern construction include concerns about an increased length of the demolition process and the dramatic changes it requires in the structural…

  PublisherDOI

• Reducing embodied carbon with material optimization in structural engineering practice: Perceived barriers and opportunities

  Journal of Building Engineering · 2024-06-14 · 12 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• CAREER: Integrated Design and Digital Fabrication using Topology Optimization and Material Extrusion 3D Printing

  NSF · $560k · 2021–2026

Frequent coauthors

• James K. Guest

  13 shared

• Serena Danti

  University of Pisa

  5 shared

• Reza Lotfi

  5 shared

• Jackson L. Jewett

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  5 shared

• Pankaj Pankaj

  4 shared

• Mario Milazzo

  National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology

  4 shared

• Grunde Jomaas

  University of Primorska

  4 shared

• Jan Schroers

  4 shared

Labs

• Carstensen GroupPI

Awards & honors

• NSF CAREER Award, 2021
• CEE Maseeh Excellence in Teaching Award, 2021
• Denmark-America Foundation Fellowship, 2012
• Ole Madsen Mentoring Award, 2024

Similar researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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• Markus J. Buehlerh-121
• Dara Entekhabih-94