Benjamín Colucci-Ríos
MSCE 1980, PhD 1984
Professor and Former Acting Dean of Engineering
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
"Education and diversity empathy are our strength; community service and family core values are priceless."
Benjamín Colucci-Ríos was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1978, completed a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UPR-Mayagüez. Prior to his arrival at Purdue to pursue graduate studies in transportation, Ben married Lizette, his high school girlfriend and love of his life. Lizette and Ben have been married for 47 years, have two children — Iris and Benjamín — and a 20-month-old granddaughter, Mila Valeria.
In 1980, Ben completed his MSCE specializing in highway transportation infrastructure, with Prof. Eldon J. Yoder serving as Chairman, and a PhD in 1984 in pavement management systems with Dr. Kumares C. Sinha serving as Chairman.
In 1984, Ben returned to UPRM and was appointed Bituminous Mixtures Lab Director. In 1990, he served as Associate Director of the Civil Engineering Department. In 2009, he completed a Juris Doctor, was appointed Acting Dean of the School of Engineering, and subsequently named Academic Senator.
Highlights of Ben’s 48-year academic and research career includes: serving as Director of Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) initiative with Purdue and NSF; Co-founder and Director of the Transportation Technology Transfer Center; 37 years providing training and technical assistance to transportation officials from Puerto Rico and USVI; Editor-in-Chief of RIDNAIC International Journal, El Puente Bilingual Newsletter, CIAPR Dimension, and La Columna Journals; Spokesperson for the Decade of Action for Road Safety Worldwide Initiative; Eisenhower transportation fellowship program manager; and Abertis Chair of International Transportation Networks, Co-PI of UTRC Region 2, SAFER-SIM and NICR research centers.
Ben’s volunteer work and recognitions include: ITE PR Section co-founder and past president; Fellow and Wilbur S. Smith Distinguished Transportation Professor; ASCE PR Section past president, Wilbur S. Smith Recipient, Region 5 Wall of Fame and Distinguished Member; TRB Committees and FHWA Public Service Award; Pan American Academy of Engineering Secretary, VP of iSMARTi, former VP of UPADI Caribbean Region; and member of APrl, IRF, LACCEI, and SIPR.
Ben is eternally thankful to Prof. Yoder and Dr. Sinha for their mentorship and wisdom and the opportunity provided to work on research projects sponsored by the Joint Highway Research Program, nowadays, JTRP. A debt of gratitude to Drs. Jon Fricker, Leonard Wood, Robert Miles, Gilbert Satterly, Charles Scholer, and Virgil Anderson that significantly contributed to his professional education. He owes to all of you his passion vocation and motivation in civil engineering and transportation.