The National Academy of Construction has elected Rice University President Reginald DesRoches as one of 45 new members in its Class of 2026. DesRoches is one of only 18 members to hold the triple honor being a member of the National Academy of Construction, National Academy of Engineering and a distinguished member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Founded in 1999, the NAC is an organization of over 500 industry leaders — construction users, constructors, engineers, architects, consultants, attorneys, sureties, editors and academics — who have made outstanding, life-long contributions to the construction industry.
Significant contributions may be in areas such as technology, work process improvement, health and safety, industry relationships, management tools, communication, education and cost/schedule effectiveness. Equally, the candidate should have demonstrated high personal integrity and a concern for the health of the entire industry through sharing their knowledge and leadership.
DesRoches was elected to the organization for being “a distinguished scholar and visionary leader, with a steadfast commitment to construction research excellence, educational innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration advancing society,” according to a NAC news release announcing its new members.
“I am deeply honored to be elected to the National Academy of Construction and to join this extraordinary group of leaders whose work has shaped the built environment and strengthened the construction industry,” DesRoches said. “Throughout my career, I have believed that engineering and construction are fundamentally about service — creating safer, more resilient communities and advancing solutions that improve lives. This recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the power of collaboration across academia and industry, and I am grateful to be part of a community committed to sharing knowledge, driving innovation and building a better future.”
Born in Haiti and raised in Queens, New York, DesRoches is the eighth president of Rice University, a position he has held since 2022. In that time, he has increased student enrollment by 20% while hiring a record number of faculty and launched new research institutes and centers, part of an ambitious plan to expand access while maintaining the university’s deep commitment to excellence. Prior to joining Rice as the dean of its engineering school, DesRoches served as chair of civil and environmental engineering at Georgia Tech, where he oversaw the program’s rise to No. 2 in the U.S. News rankings.
His research on the design of resilient infrastructure systems earned him membership in the prestigious National Academy of Engineering. He is also a distinguished member of the American Society of Civil Engineering, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has published over 300 journal and conference papers and has advised over 30 doctoral students. His technical expertise intersected with his personal history when he led a team of 28 researchers to his birth country, Haiti, to study the impact of the 2010 earthquake.