CAIT Director Dr. Ali Maher

CAIT Director Dr. Ali Maher was recognized as the 2020 ACECNJ Educator of the Year.

CAIT Director Dr. Ali Maher was selected by ACECNJ as its 2020 Educator of the Year as part of the organizations’ annual New Jersey Engineering Excellence Awards program. An internationally recognized transportation researcher, educator, and administrator, Dr. Maher is a visionary leader and a strong promoter of collaboration among students, academia, and industry. He will be recognized among other recipients at a future event.

Each year The American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey (ACECNJ) celebrates and recognizes the accomplishments of, and contributions made to society by, the state’s engineering industry. This year, Dr. Ali Maher, director of the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT), was recognized as the 2020 ACECNJ Educator of the Year. 

The Educator-of-the-Year award honors those in the engineering education field who throughout their career have had a positive impact on the engineering profession, according to ACECNJ. The recipient is someone who has made a significant contribution by bringing excitement to the next generation of engineers and elevating the standards of the profession.

“It is an honor to receive this award, and it is a great recognition to our engineering students, the hard work they put in, and the quality of education that we strive to offer to them,”said Dr. Maher. “At CAIT and the School of Engineering, we look forward to continuing to offer new and innovative opportunities to our students. By working together with New Jersey’s engineering industry, partnering with other universities and academic institutions, and fostering a collaborative environment, we can accomplish this.”

Dr. Maher is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rutgers and a widely recognized expert in geotechnical, geoenvironmental, and infrastructure engineering and management. He is often tapped as a resource by industry and government agencies. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, USDOT, NJDOT, FHWA, DOE, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other sponsors.