Zapata's research focuses on unsaturated and expansive soils, soil behavior under static/repeated loads, fluid flow and volume change modeling, environmental impacts, and soil improvement.

Khodadadi Tirkolaei's research interests include Geotechnical Engineering, Sustainability in Geotechnical Engineering, Biogeotechnical Engineering, and Mining Geotechnics

Salifu integrates geotechnics, biology, and environmental systems to develop climate-responsive, nature-inspired solutions for resilient infrastructure and sustainable landscapes.