Jorge Vanegas

Vanegas focuses on applying creativity, innovation, design and entrepreneurship in multidisciplinary environments, implementing built environment sustainability, and advancing asset delivery and management in architecture, engineering and construction through integrated strategies, tools and methods. One example is his idea, explained in his keynote address to the 38th International Association for Housing Science World Congress, to form a networked, collaborative public/private partnership between academia, industry and governments to advance global solutions to meet the need for quality, affordable, sustainable, high-performance housing. In it, he stated that the built environment is the most critical element in any society to ensure the quality of life of its people, its growth and evolution, and ultimately, its survival. Within this context, the provision of high-quality and high-performance, sustainable and affordable housing for every socio-economic stratum of a society continues to be a critical need, but remains an elusive goal. He has received national and international awards for his education, research, and professional scholarly accomplishments, including being inducted into the Pan American Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Construction. Vanegas is a research professor with the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station of The Texas A&M University System. He has served previously as dean of the School of Architecture. He has served as a technical advisor and a regular contributor, in various capacities, to activities of different academic institutions, organizations, and companies in the United States and internationally, and serves on multiple boards for several research and education centers. In recognition of his scholarly accomplishments in research, teaching and service, Vanegas has received throughout his academic and professional career, national and international awards for education, research, and professional excellence. He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, and MS and doctoral degrees in construction engineering and management from Stanford University.