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Lyles College of Engineering

Maria Calahorra-Jimenez

Assistant Professor

Construction Management

mcalahorrajimenez@mail.fresnostate.edu

Education

  • Ph.D., Civil Engineering: Construction Engineering and Management. University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder,  USA (2020)
  • Ph.D., Engineering Science. Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile (2020)
  • M.S., Civil Engineering University of Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile (2015)
  • B.S-M.S., Civil Engineering: Structures. University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain (2004)

Courses Taught

B.S. Construction Management (Core)
  • CM 20 Construction Documents
  • CM 127 Construction Soils and Foundations
  • CM170 Project Controls
  • CM 193I Internship/ Work Experience
B.S. Construction Management (Elective)
  • CM 144 Construction Site Planning & Development
  • CM 151 Heavy Civil Construction
  • CM 98 Heavy Civil Competition
M.S Construction Management
  • CM 290 Independent Study
  • CM 293I Internship/Work Experience
  • CM291T Research Methods for Construction Management

Dr. Calahorra-Jimenez, Ph.D., PMP is is an assistant professor in the  Department of Construction Management at California State University, Fresno. Maria holds a Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Ph.D. degree in Engineering Science from the Catholic University of Chile. Dr. Calahorra-Jimenez is also Project Management Professional (PMP). Before earning her doctorates, Maria worked in international engineering firms for 14 years. She served as technical office manager, project manager, and project engineer involved in the design and construction oversee of more than a hundred infrastructure projects—totaling nearly $2 billion—in Spain and Chile.

Dr. Calahorra-Jimenez’s research focuses on improving construction performance metrics by enhancing pre-construction management strategies in project delivery and procurement of public infrastructure projects. Dr. Calahorra-Jimenez worked on research projects focused on highway and road management improvement, such as Effectiveness of the SCDOT Design-Build Highway Program funded by the South Carolina Department of Transportation and Contracting Strategies: A Different Approach to Address Long-Term Performance in Road projects funded by CSUTC through Senate Bill 1. Further, Dr. Calahorra-Jimenez is currently exploring research lines involving sustainability in infrastructure and data analytics for decision-making.
  • Alternative/Integrated/Digital project delivery methods
  • Sustainability in infrastructures
  • DEI in infrastructure projects--focus on gender
Book Chapters
  • Calahorra-Jimenez M., García-Melero G. (2024). Chapter Best-value in the procurement of highway projects. Lessons Learned from US Design-Build projects in the Book Recent Topics in Highway Engineering- Up-to date Overview of Practical Knowledge, IntechOpen. DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.1005528
  • Calahorra-Jimenez M, Torres-Machi C. and Molenaar K. (2022). Addressing the Fallacy in Lump-Sum Best-Value Procurement for Design-Build Highway Projects in Building a Body of Knowledge in Construction Project Delivery, Procurement, and Contracting, World Scientific Publishing (WSP) https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/9789811224782_0008 
  • Alarcón, Luis F., Wegmann Adolfo, Calahorra Maria (2018). Oportunidades para el mejoramiento de la gestión de proyectos de infraestructura pública en Chile in: Propuestas Para Chile 2017, Centro de Políticas públicas UC, Santiago de Chile. Chapter VII pp. 199-239.

Publications

Peer-Review Journals
Underlined: student advised
  • Ahmad Orya F, Calahorra-Jimenez M., (2024).“A project-phases approach to explore the reasons for delays in infrastructure projects.”  SAGE Public Works Management and Policy [Submission PWMP-24-036--Approved for publication]
  • Gaikwad Suraj V., Calahorra-Jimenez, M., Molenaar K., Torres-Machi, C. (2021). Challenges in Engineering Estimates for Best-Value Design-Build Highway Projects. ASCE Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. Vol 147 No 7 2021, pp 04021065, Editor’s Choice paper, https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0002104
  • Calahorra-Jimenez M., Torres-Machi C, Chamorro A, Alarcón L.F., and Molenaar K, (2021). “The importance of Non-Cost Criteria Weighting in Best-Value Design-Build U.S. Highway Projects.” ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering. Vol 37 No 4 2021, pp. 04021027, https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000912
  • Calahorra-Jimenez M., Molenaar K, Torres-Machi C., Chamorro A, and Alarcón L.F. (2020). “Structured approach for best-value evaluation criteria: US Design-Build Highway procurement.” ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering. Vol 36 No 6 2020, https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000857
  • Calahorra-Jimenez M., Alarcón L.F, Torres-Machi C., Chamorro A, and Molenaar K. (2020). “Improving cost performance in Design-Bid-Build projects by mapping the reasons for cost overruns into the project phases.” Journal of Construction Vol. 19 No 2 2020, pp. 334-345, http://dx.doi.org/10.7764/rdlc.19.2.333
  • Arroyo, P., Herrera, R., Salazar, L., Giménez, Z., Martínez, J.,Calahorra, M. (2018). “A new approach for integrating environmental, social, and economic factors to evaluate asphalt mixture with and without waste tires.” Journal Construction Engineering Vol 33 No 3 2018, pp. 301-313, https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-50732018000300301

Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceedings & Presentations
  • Valencia-Vásquez, A., García-Melero G.,Calahorra-Jimenez M. (2024). “Sexual Crimes and Harassment on Public Transportation in Chile: A Gender Approach” 2025 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting Washington DC. January 5-9, 2025 [Approved to present in poster session]
  • Calahorra-Jimenez M.,Shehab, T., Blampied N., Nasr E. (2024) “Toward BIM for Infrastructure Implementation in State Departments of Transportation: Mapping of Practices and Lessons Learned” 2025 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting Washington DC. January 5-9, 2025 [Approved for presentation]
  • Leothacue-Liauburindr A.B., Nacir C., Shrestha R., Gad G., Calahorra-Jimenez M., G (2024). “Alternative Project Delivery Methods’ Enabling Legislation Trends for California Transportation Agencies.” 2025 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting Washington DC. January 5-9, 2025 [Approved for presentation].
  • Valencia-Vásquez, A., García-Melero G., Calahorra-Jimenez M. (2024). “Sexual Crimes and Harassment on Public Transportation in Chile: How Safe Are We?” 7th International Conference on Women and Gender in Transportation, Irvine, California, USA, September 9-11, 2024. Organized by the Transportation Research Board (TRB).
  • Calahorra-Jimenez M., Garcia-Melero G., Yu F (2024). “Females in Design and Construction of Transportation project. An exploration of attraction and retention factors.” 7th International Conference on Women and Gender in Transportation, Irvine, California, USA, September 9-11, 2024. Organized by the Transportation Research Board (TRB).
  • Calahorra-Jimenez M., Garcia-Melero G. (2024). “Is best-value leading to a low-bid selection? The case of Design-Build projects in the US.” Construction Research Congress 2024. Poster session Des Moines, Iowa. March 20-23, 2024
  • Calahorra-Jimenez M., García-Melero G. (2024). “Best-Value Weighted Criteria Award Algorithms: Does the Number of Non-Cost Criteria in the Equation Matter?”  2024 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting. Poster session Washington D.C., January 7-11, 2024

    Calahorra-Jimenez M., (2022).“Engaging Industry in the Classroom to Enhance Teaching of Heavy Civil Construction.” 1st Cal Poly Pomona Civil Engineering Conference. Pomona, California,  September 12-13, 2022.
  • Calahorra-Jimenez M. (2022). “Best-value in Design-Build Highway Projects: Technical Scoring Trends and Award Algorithms.” Construction Research Congress 2022. Arlington, Virginia. March 9-12, 2022.  https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784483978.021
  • Calahorra M., Torres-Machi C., Molenaar Keith R., Chamorro A., Alarcon L.F. (2020). “Alignment between Project goals and evaluation criteria in best-value procurement.” Transportation Research Board. Washington, D.C., January 12-16, 2020.
  • Calahorra M., Torres-Machi C., Molenaar Keith R. (2020). “Information Exchange in the procurement process of Design-Build Transportation projects: digging into the What, the When, the Who and the How.” Transportation Research Board.Washington, D.C., January 12-16, 2020.
  •  Calahorra M., Giménez Z., Herrera R., Martínez J., Salazar L. (2016). “Análisis de ciclo de vida de mezcla asfáltica con/sin caucho: estudio de caso” Proceedings of the VII Elagec, Bogotá, Colombia, November 15-18, 2016.
  • Herrera R., Calahorra M. (2016). “Competencias que debe poseer un director de proyecto y como desarrollarlas” Congreso Internacional de Gestión de Proyectos PMI. XII Versión del Tour Cono Sur Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile, November 9, 2016.
Research support & Educational Grants

Research Support
  • Alternative Project Delivery Methods in California Transportation Agencies: The Path Forward. State of California via SB1 through CSU Transportation Consortium. PI: Ghada Gad (Calpoly Pomona), Co-PI Maria Calahorra-Jimenez. June 2024-June 2025
  • Building Information Modelling for Infrastructure (BIM4I). Caltrans through Mineta Transportation Institute. PI: Maria Calahorra-Jimenez, Co-PI Tariq Sherab (CSULB), Elhami Sarh (CSULB) and Nigel Blampied (CSUSJ). March 2024-September 2024.
  • Women in Civil Engineering and Heavy Civil Construction: Why do they stay? Division of Research and Graduate Studies-Dean’s Faculty Mini-Grant Funding. P.I. Maria Calahorra-Jimenez, Undergraduate Student Research Assistant: Frances Yu. Estimated Budget: $10,000. Estimated Schedule: November 2023-October 2024
  • Exploring performance-based contracts: a good option to address long-term road maintenance in California? Fresno State Transportation Institute. PI: Maria Calahorra-Jimenez Developed at California State University, Fresno, USA. March 2023-December 2023.
  • Deciding How to Select: Exploring Award Algorithms to Reach Best-Value in Design-Build Highway Projects. Lyles College of Engineering 21/22 Chancellor’s Office Research Scholarship and Creative Activities, Fresno State. PI: Maria Calahorra-Jimenez. Research Developed at California State University, Fresno, USA. July 2021-December 2022. California State University, Fresno.
  • Contracting Strategies: A Different Approach to Address Long-Term Performance in Road Projects. Fresno State Transportation Institute. PI: Maria Calahorra-Jimenez  Developed at California State University, Fresno, USA. March 2021-March  2022. California State University, Fresno.
  • Effectiveness of the SCDOT Design-Build Highway Program. South Carolina Department of Transportation. P.I.: Keith Molenaar, co-PI: Cristina Torres-Machi, doctoral research assistant: Maria Calahorra. Developed at the University of Colorado Boulder. January 2018-March, 2020.
  • Oportunidades para el mejoramiento de la gestión de proyectos de infraestructura pública en Chile. Center of Public Policy of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile PI: Luis F. Alarcon, co-PIs: Adolfo Wegmann, Maria Calahorra. Developed at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. January 2017- January 2018.
Educational Grants
  • Toward Institutionalization of Sustainability in Engineering and Related Curricula: Advancing the Engineering for One Planet Framework at RIT and CSU Fresno. Lemelson Foundation. Developed at RIT. Supports CSU Fresno: Faculty leader: Sagata Bhawani. Contributors: Manideep Tummalapudi and Maria Calahorra-Jimenez; October 2023- September 2026.
  • Case Study: Incorporating Diversity and Inclusion on a Construction Site. Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). PI: Maria Calahorra-Jimenez; Co-PI: Sagata Bhawani, Manideep Tummalapudi; Industry Advisor: Jorge Quezada. To be developed at California State University, Fresno, jointly with Granite Construction. October 2022- August 2023.  $ 9,000. Total California State University, Fresno.
  • A holistic view of civil aspects of building construction. Online & Shareable materials from students-to-students . Construction Employer’s Association (CEA). PI: Maria Calahorra-Jimenez. Developed at California State University, Fresno, USA. January 2022-December 2022. California State University, Fresno.