The University of Utah’s College of Engineering is proud to announce that civil and environmental engineering associate professor Pedro Romero has been named the college’s new Director for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. His appointment runs through June 30, 2025.
In this role, he will serve as Associate Chair of the COE Diversity Committee and will lead college activities and initiatives related to EDI.
“I believe in the importance of having a diverse community of engineers in support of the college’s mission of improving the productivity, health, safety and enjoyment of human life,” Romero said. “The inclusion of diverse thoughts and ideas enhances our ability to provide solutions that contribute to the wellbeing of society. We are better when we work together.”
He said his first goal is to work with the college’s EDI committee to continue the application to the ASEE Diversity Recognition Program. This program started in 2019 and publicly recognizes engineering programs that make significant, measurable progress in increasing the diversity, inclusion, and degree attainment outcomes of the program. The program creates a process for continuous improvement with the overall goal of helping promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the college and ultimately in the workplace.
“Through the application for this program, we have already collected data that would help identify where support is needed,” he said.
Romero received a bachelor’s in civil engineering from the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., and a master’s degree and doctorate from the Pennsylvania State University, both in civil engineering.
Before arriving at the University of Utah, he worked for the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute; EBA Engineering, Inc.; the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in Virginia; and Soil and Land Use Technology, Inc., in Maryland.
He started at the U as an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering in 2000 and was named associate professor in 2007.
He was named Utah Engineering Educator of the Year by the Utah Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2004 and awarded the Ben Jacobsen Kingfisher Ranch Award for Exceptionally Effective Teaching.
His research is focused on the characterization and evaluation of the sustainability and health of infrastructure systems with emphasis in highways and transportation structures, and the evaluation of new applications designed to extend the life of existing infrastructure systems.