The School of Civil and Environmental Engineering is proud to share that Dr. Davis Chacón-Hurtado, Assistant Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Co-Director of the Engineering for Human Rights Initiative, has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 ExCEEd New Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award, presented by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

The award, part of ASCE’s long-running Project ExCEEd (Excellence in Civil Engineering Education) and administered by its Committee on Faculty Development, honors early-career faculty who demonstrate exceptional teaching abilities, a dedication to student learning, and a strong commitment to the values of civil engineering education. Dr. Chacón-Hurtado was selected from a highly competitive national pool for his outstanding classroom instruction, student mentorship, and commitment to integrating human rights principles into engineering education.

Founded in 1852, ASCE is the nation’s oldest civil engineering society and a global leader in infrastructure expertise. With more than 160,000 members in 177 countries, ASCE supports the profession through world-class continuing education, technical conferences, and the largest repository of civil engineering research content. The Society plays a critical role in shaping codes, standards, and educational programs that protect the public and advance the built and natural environments.

At UConn, Dr. Chacón-Hurtado exemplifies the mission of ExCEEd through his role as Co-Director of the Engineering for Human Rights Initiative — a nationally recognized collaboration between the College of Engineering and the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute. Through this initiative, he works alongside more than 60 faculty across disciplines to develop ethical, accessible, and socially responsive engineering solutions to global challenges such as water access, food security, infrastructure justice, and cybersecurity.

This recognition not only celebrates Dr. Chacón-Hurtado’s innovative teaching and service but also underscores UConn’s growing leadership at the intersection of engineering and human rights — a field that is reshaping how engineers are trained to serve society.

We extend our warmest congratulations to Dr. Chacón-Hurtado on this well-deserved national honor.