Congratulations to CEE alum and Academy of Distinguished Alumni (ADA) member Reginald DesRoches! Currently the Provost of Rice University, he will begin his new role as President of the university on July 1, 2022.
DesRoches continues to break barriers through his rapid career progression as he becomes the fifth African-American leader of a leading research institution and the first immigrant President of Rice University.
Under DesRoches' four years of leadership within the university, he has made significant progress in increasing diversity amongst faculty members and the graduate student population, spearheaded the university's transition from in-person learning to remote instruction during the pandemic, and has led the expansion of the university's undergrad student body population for more than a decade. He has received international recognition for his work as a structural engineer and earthquake resilience expert and spent time volunteering his expertise in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake destroying the area.