Martin-Vega Named to Hall of Fame

Dr. Louis A. Martin-Vega, dean of the College of Engineering, will be inducted into a national hall of fame for outstanding Hispanic American science and technology professionals.

Martin-Vega will be recognized at a national conference next month for encouraging Hispanic students and members of other underrepresented groups to pursue careers in science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM).

He is the sole inductee this year for HENAAC, founded as the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference. He was nominated for the organization’s highest honor by the nonprofit organization Great Minds in STEM.

Last year, he received the UPS Award for Minority Advancement in Industrial Engineering from the Institute of Industrial Engineers.

Martin-Vega has been dean of engineering at NC State since 2006. Before that, he spent nearly  five years as professor and dean of engineering at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He has held prestigious positions at the National Science Foundation, including acting head of the Engineering Directorate and director of the Division of Design, Manufacture and Industrial Innovation.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, a master’s in operations research from New York University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Florida.