Lucio Salles,

Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Management and Safety

I've been here for three years.

I'm an assistant professor on the tenure-track with a research-intensive portfolio. My responsibilities are divided into three areas. The first, and most time-consuming, is research. This includes leading projects, developing new ideas, publishing, collaborating with colleagues at RIT and other institutions, and working with students. The second is teaching in the Civil Engineering Technology Program. I teach courses ranging from the second year all the way to Capstone in the fifth year. And then there's service, which involves participating in committees at several levels at the institution and other efforts in my professional area.

Mostly, it's the students. Our students are truly inspiring, and it's amazing to see their growth, not only on a technical level but on a personal level, too. When they get to Capstone, it's great to see them ready to go into the market—I feel like I'm talking to fully-formed engineers already. I also learn a lot from my students, especially when they show interest in research and help generate new ideas.

My colleagues are great too. From day one, I felt included in my Department and College not only by the faculty but by all the staff members that help me so much to this day. Shout-out to the Student Advisors who were and are a great resource for junior faculty like me in getting to know our students and how they learn.

I was born in southern Brazil and did my undergraduate studies there at the University of Santa Maria in Civil Engineering. After that, I worked as a Civil Engineer for a construction company, leading road construction and community rehabilitation projects. In 2012, I decided to go for my master’s at the University of Sao Paulo in Transportation Engineering, where I eventually stayed for a PhD. I also spent one year as a research scholar at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. After graduating, I started as a professor at two of the leading civil programs in Brazil. In 2019, opportunities for more applied research led me back to the U.S. to a postdoctoral position at the University of Pittsburgh, where I worked with different State Departments of Transportation, developing research that could be applied directly in the field. After three years at Pitt, I got the position here at RIT.

I have always been interested in transportation, how things and people are moved from one place to another. How are roads put in place? Why here and not there? But the key point was a professor in my undergraduate program, Dr. Deividi Pereira, with classes on pavement materials and design that instigated that career path. He was (and still is) a great mentor, and doing undergraduate research with him opened a lot of doors for my professional development. I think that's what I try to emulate with my work with undergraduate students here at RIT.

The most important part that I try to pass on to them is that their future work as engineers, whether they're designers or construction managers, has a lasting impact on several aspects of society. Civil engineering isn't just complex calculations; the structures we design and build have an impact on people's lives, the environment, and the economy. They must consider these effects, be they negative or positive, in their work.

I think the general public thinks of road infrastructure as a simple structure when, in fact, pavements are quite complex in terms of design, material selection, and construction. There's a lot of effort and money put into that aspect of your daily commute.

Another aspect is road maintenance and rehabilitation—I know it's annoying, but it's crucial. It's necessary to keep our roads in good condition not only for user safety but also for fuel consumption. A little-known fact is that the smoothness and rigidity of a road directly impacts a vehicle's fuel consumption; rough or poorly maintained roads increase rolling resistance, causing vehicles to use more fuel.

New technologies and materials are being tested and used to reduce the time you spend in traffic due to road construction and maintenance. For example, now we can use ultrasound to check for defects and defect areas before they even appear on the surface. That helps effectively schedule maintenance and avoid waste.

Another fact that I must reinforce to the general public: Please respect speed limits, especially in work zones. Working in the paving industry is very dangerous, and we must protect our workers. Drive slowly and don’t text

Our goal at ISCP is to facilitate the advancement of technology related to concrete pavements through education, technology transfer, and research at an international level. Concrete pavements have many benefits: they last a long time, require minimal maintenance (if well-constructed!), and can alleviate the heat island effect in urban areas. My contributions to ISCP are more related to my role as Director of Communication. I work with my colleagues to advertise all things related to concrete pavements, and we develop a post called "Student Research Spotlight" to highlight student efforts in the area from all over the world

I am an engineer with very little artistic ability, so I always admire and follow artists. I feel like it gives me new perspectives that I can even apply in my work sometimes. From the Hispanic/Latino world, I really admire artists like Rita Moreno, the "OG triple threat"; Alfonso Cuarón, the best movie director working today in my opinion; and Basquiat—I can look at his paintings all day. From Brazil, I admire the music of Caetano Veloso, Rita Lee, and Gal Costa among others

From my family, my mom has always been a major inspiration. She has this happy-go-lucky attitude about life that brings joy to everyone around her. She grew up in a low-income family in a very patriarchal society, but she never held her head down, and she made sure to teach us that.

My first unofficial work was weighing plates at my parents' buffet-style restaurant, definitely not my favorite job. My first proper job was during my first year as an undergrad, where I was able to land an internship with a small construction company. The owner was a retired judge who always dreamed of being a Civil Engineer but his family didn't allow it (it was either Medicine or Law). So, I'd always talk about what I was seeing in class in our meetings. Maybe that's what got me into teaching.

No, I don't really follow any sports or teams since I moved to the U.S. I love the Olympics, though; I watch it all. I do go to an occasional game with friends, love going to baseball games for the environment in the stadium, and hockey because it's so fast.

The Wiedman Fitness Center. I'm there every weekday working out.

I was born in Julio de Castilhos, Rio Grande do Sul. It's a small town, but if there were an agricultural fair, we would go to the Exhibition Park. It's a huge area that makes you feel like you're in a beautiful farm. Other than that, we would definitely go to my parents' house on Sunday for a whole day of my mom's feijoada (Brazilian bean stew)—food coma guaranteed.

Traveling. I went to Vienna and Montreal for conferences, to Ireland with my in-laws for their retirement trip, and camping with friends. I love traveling and travel planning.

Both. I grew up with many; my mom ran an unofficial shelter in our home. And right now, I have an 85lb rescue German Shepherd mix that behaves like a tiny kitty cat.

Neither? A button-up shirt and a suit jacket are the most you'll see me in.

I'm currently reading “Secondhand Time” by Svetlana Alexievich, and it is amazing and terrifying at the same time. For science and engineering nerds (like me!), I recommend “When We Cease to Understand the World” by Benjamin Labatut. It offers a really interesting way of looking at famous scientists, their discoveries, and the consequences.

Cinema has been my passion since I was 12 or something. I'm a proud member of The Little Theater and winner of their Oscar Trivia. Keeping up with our month's celebrations, I recommend “Y Tu Mama Tambien” from Alfonso Cuarón, “City of God” from Fernando Meirelles, and “No” by Pablo Larraín. Also, the new Brazilian movie,” I'm Still Here” from Walter Salles is pretty good, and it showcases a difficult time in Brazilian history through the story of a formidable woman.

I can't stand podcasts, sorry!

Besides the fact that I'm a cinephile—although many know that already—I think most people would be surprised to know that, despite my work and love for transportation engineering and traveling, I don't like driving at all, I'm a nervous flyer and you won’t see me on a cruise anytime soon. "The more you know, the more you know you don't know." (Aristotle). I do love trains though.

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