For 55 years, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Long Island Branch has been gathering annually to celebrate outstanding contributions to the field of civil engineering. This year, at the Westbury Manor, Professor Rigoberto Burgueño, chair of the Department of Civil Engineering at Stony Brook University, was recognized as the Educator of the Year.
The award is given to exceptional university faculty members for their noteworthy impact on the teaching and mentoring of civil engineering and the advancement of the discipline.
“I am truly grateful and humbled to receive this honor from the Long Island Branch of ASCE. It is especially meaningful because it recognizes the importance of education and mentoring,” said Burgueño.
Burgueño has led the Department of Civil Engineering at Stony Brook University since 2018. He holds an affiliated appointment in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Andrew Singer, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS), said, “Under Rigoberto’s leadership, the Department of Civil Engineering has significantly expanded its academic and research enterprise, doubling its faculty, increasing undergraduate enrollment by 25 percent and growing its graduate programs (MS and PhD) by more than twofold. Rigoberto continues to contribute to his field as an educator, mentor and researcher, and we are proud of his well-deserved achievement.”
“As my career has progressed,” Burgueño said, “I have come to appreciate that the most enduring impact we can have as educators comes through the students we teach, train and mentor. The knowledge, values and experiences they carry forward are multiplied many times over through their future careers and service to society.” Burgueño serves as faculty advisor to Stony Brook’s ACSE Student Chapter.
Before joining Stony Brook University, Burgueño served on the faculty at Michigan State University for 19 years, where he was honored with the Teacher-Scholar Award and was a three-time recipient of the Withrow Teaching Excellence Award.
Burgueño, whose expertise lies at the intersection of structural mechanics and structural engineering, earned his PhD and MS in engineering sciences and his BS in structural engineering from the University of California, San Diego. He holds three U.S. patents related to natural-fiber composites, energy harvesting and self-powered sensing systems.
An author of more than 165 peer-reviewed journal and conference publications and over 50 technical reports, he also provides editorial services on the ASCE Journal of Composites for Construction and on the international scientific advisory board of Hormigón y Acero.
Throughout his career, he has guided the research studies of 14 PhD, 28 MS and 32 undergraduate students. He was also one of the faculty who envisioned the CEAS Senior Engineering Design Showcase, an event that highlights the talented engineering seniors and their capstone design projects.
Burgueño said, “I am deeply honored to contribute to the education and professional development of future civil engineers.”
— Debra Scala Giokas
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