APESS Summer School: Learn, Build, Test—Together
APESS is a three-week, international summer school where smart structures move from theory to something you can see, measure, and build. Mornings bring world-class lectures that unpack how sensing, data, and control are transforming civil infrastructure; afternoons turn those ideas into action through laboratories and a team-based prototype project. Working in multidisciplinary groups, participants design, fabricate, instrument, and test a real demonstrator, learning not only the tools of structural health monitoring and vibration mitigation, but also how to connect engineering performance with compelling, real-world impact. The experience culminates in a final live showcase and presentations, and an enduring network of peers and mentors shaping the next generation of resilient, “senseable” built environments.
APESS has been held annually (with some pandemic interruptions) since 2008, rotating among host institutions in Asia, the Pacific, and Europe.
| Edition (Year) | Host Institution (Location) | Dates | Notable Features & Themes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (2008) | KAIST (Daejeon, South Korea) | July 2008 | Inaugural APSS program focusing on foundational smart sensing and control; launch of ANCRiSST’s student summer school initiative. |
| 2nd (2009) | UIUC (Illinois, USA) | Summer 2009 | Brought the program to the US (Univ. of Illinois); emphasis on structural health monitoring (SHM) and control in civil infrastructure. |
| 3rd (2010) | University of Tokyo (Japan) | Summer 2010 | Focus on structural control theory and applications in seismic engineering; involved leading Japanese researchers in smart materials. |
| 4th (2011) | Tongji University (Shanghai, China) | Summer 2011 | Highlighted sensor networks and large-scale SHM (China’s burgeoning structural monitoring research); likely coincided with a smart structures workshop in Dalian. |
| 5th (2012) | IISc Bangalore (India) | July 2012 | Theme on advanced sensing and hybrid testing; facilitated by Indo-US Science & Tech Forum, bridging Indian and international efforts in smart structures. |
| 6th (2013) | KAIST (S. Korea) | 2013 | [Exact host for 2013] – Continued focus on structural dynamics and wireless sensing. (KAIST and Taiwan’s NCREE were key network members; records suggest South Korea hosted again in 2013.) |
| 7th (2014) | National Taiwan Univ. & NCREE (Taiwan) | Summer 2014 | Jointly hosted by NTU and Taiwan’s national earthquake engineering center; strong earthquake engineering and real-time monitoring content. |
| 8th (2015) | UIUC (Illinois, USA) | 26 Jul – 14 Aug 2015 | Included a special integration with the 11th ANCRiSST Workshop and 6th AESE Conference at UIUC (Aug 1–2, 2015). Students participated in conference sessions, blending the summer school with an international workshop. |
| 9th (2016) | University of Cambridge (UK) | 24 Jun – 13 Jul 2016 | First APESS in Europe. Held alongside the ICSIC 2016 conference; featured an SHM competition (won by a Purdue team). Brought a European perspective on smart infrastructure (hosted by Cambridge’s Smart Infrastructure Center). |
| 10th (2017) | Yokohama National Univ. (Japan) | 17 Jul – 4 Aug 2017 | Marked the 10th edition. Covered advanced structural dynamics, hybrid simulation, and smart construction materials. Supported by JSPS and the Sakura Science Program in Japan. |
| 11th (2018) | Qingdao & Harbin (China) | 16 Jul – 5 Aug 2018 | Split between Qingdao (aligned with the 7WCSCM conference) and Harbin Institute of Technology. Emphasized global monitoring challenges; included world conference participation and extensive lab work at HIT. |
| 12th (2019) | Sapienza Univ. of Rome (Italy) | 15 Jul – 3 Aug 2019 | First APESS in Italy, held in a historic campus in Rome. Co-organized with the University of Trento’s smart materials summer school. Strong focus on post-earthquake damage assessment (visit to L’Aquila) and data analysis techniques. Featured a capstone competition and introduced awards for top performers. |
| (2020–2023) | (Purdue 2020 planned; others cancelled) | – | APESS 2020 was scheduled at Purdue University (USA) as the 13th edition, but was canceled due to COVID-19. No in-person summer schools were held in 2021–2023. Some virtual lectures and network activities took place, but the official numbering paused until resumption in 2024. |
| 13th (2024) | Kyoto University (Japan) | 1 – 19 Jul 2024 | Revival of APESS post-pandemic. Hosted by Kyoto’s Graduate School of Engineering. Continued themes of smart sensing, AI, and sustainability. Coordinated with the ANCRiSST 2024 workshop at Kyoto (10–11 July). Large turnout (reportedly ~60+ students from 7 countries) and engagement by many past APESS alumni as instructors. |
| 14th (2025) | Hong Kong PolyU (HK, China) | 14 Jul – 1 Aug 2025 | APESS 2025, detailed above. Focus on smart structures in the AI era, with extensive lab sessions and international faculty. Demonstrated a strong trend of integrating machine learning and IoT into structural engineering education. |