Graduate Research Assistant
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Grainger College of Engineering
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
frjack2@illinois.edu
Biography
Favour Jack is a Ph.D. student in the Energy-Water-Environment Sustainability program in Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research focuses on residential water and energy systems, specifically on distilling actionable knowledge from smart water and energy data in a permanent supportive housing context. He leverages data analytics, statistical methods, machine learning, and temporal pattern analysis to non-intrusively infer anomalies and develop systems that support resident well-being.
Prior to his doctoral studies, Favour earned a B.Tech. in Civil Engineering with First Class Honors from Rivers State University, where he completed core coursework in structural, water, and environmental systems. He subsequently worked for over two years as a Graduate Consultant Engineer at Arup in Lagos, Nigeria, where his work spanned water and energy advisory services, civil infrastructure design, and life cycle assessments, with contributions to projects including the African Sponge Cities initiative, the City Water Resilience Approach framework implementation, and the Lagos Urban Power Project. He brings systems thinking, a strong emphasis on real-world applicability, and a grounded understanding of infrastructure challenges in rapidly urbanizing contexts to his doctoral research.
Outside of research, Favour enjoys soccer, working out, and EA FC.
Research Topics
- Smart meter data analytics
- Machine learning and human-centered computing techniques
- Sustainable and supportive housing
Education
- B.Tech. in Civil Engineering, Rivers State University, 2021