Luleå University of Technology (LTU) in Sweden will award an honorary doctorate to Dan M. Frangopol, the inaugural Fazlur R. Khan Endowed Chair of Structural Engineering and Architecture Emeritus and professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering at Lehigh University, during its Academic Ceremony, November 13-14, 2026.
Frangopol is being recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to the life-cycle engineering of civil structures and infrastructure systems, as well as his active collaboration with LTU’s faculty of science and technology.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to have been appointed Honorary Doctor at Luleå University of Technology,” said Frangopol in an LTU press release. “Both the University of Colorado Boulder and Lehigh University have provided great academic environments and colleagues. This honor would not have been possible without the excellent students, post‐doctoral researchers and visiting scholars who inspired me during my academic career, and without the unwavering support of my wife.”
Frangopol will deliver a public lecture detailing his pioneering research. At the formal conferment ceremony, he will receive the doctoral hat, ring, and diploma.
This degree is the latest addition to an exceptional list of international credentials for Frangopol, a leading global authority in life-cycle cost optimization and structural reliability. His other honorary doctorates include the Polytechnic University of Timișoara (Romania, 2024), the Polytechnic University of Milan (Italy, 2016), the Technical University of Iaşi (Romania, 2014), the University of Liège (Belgium, 2008), and the Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest (Romania, 2001).
A Legacy of Continued Global Recognition
The Swedish honorary doctorate arrives on the heels of several major career milestones for Frangopol, including his 2025 election to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE).
His continued impact on global engineering is reflected in a select group of recent international and national accolades. Over the past two years, Frangopol has received the ROSTOCK University Medal in Germany, the inaugural Distinguished Service Award from the International Association for Structural Safety and Reliability (IASSAR), the Opera Omnia Award from the Romanian Association of Structural Design Engineers (AICPS), and the Raymond C. Reese Research Prize, State-of-the-Art of Civil Engineering Award, and Arthur M. Wellington Prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He was also appointed Honorary President of the International Association for Bridge Maintenance and Safety (IABMAS) Romania Group.
To learn more about his background, visit Dan M. Frangopol’s research website.
