معرفی
Dr. Rafiqul A. Tarefder is a Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of New Mexico (UNM), serving as Associate Director of both the SPTC (Region 6 University Transportation Center) and SOLARIS (Tier 1 UTC). With 20+ years of experience as a licensed professional engineer and university professor, he has built UNM's pavement engineering research program from inception into a nationally recognized hub.
His educational foundation includes:
- Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Oklahoma
- M.S. in Geotechnical Engineering
- B.S. in Civil Engineering
Dr. Tarefder's research revolutionizes pavement infrastructure through mechanistic-empirical design methodologies, airfield pavement rehabilitation, and sustainable materials development. His work directly shaped New Mexico DOT's pavement design implementation and established UNM as a leader in transportation infrastructure innovation, with particular emphasis on practical applications for arid-region engineering challenges.
His scholarly recognition includes:
- Two Best Paper Awards
Research leadership and mentorship achievements:
- Grants: Secured $16.0M in external funding ($13.7M as PI at UNM)
- Student Development: Mentored 83 students (21 Ph.D., 27 M.S., 3 Postdocs, 31 undergraduates); graduated 14 Ph.D. and 24 M.S. students
- Program Growth: Increased geotechnical graduate enrollment by 400% (5 to 25+ students) over 13 years
He established UNM's $1.5M Pavement and Asphalt Laboratories from scratch, creating critical infrastructure for graduate education and industry collaboration with New Mexico DOT, FHWA, and asphalt contractors while advancing diversity through recruitment of 8 female M.S., 4 female Ph.D., and 10 minority students.
