Yá’át’ééh (Hello),

My name is Dominica Bennett. I am a Diné (Navajo) woman raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with family roots in Grey Mountain, Arizona. My journey into civil engineering began long before college, when I followed my dad, a carpenter, to various job sites around Albuquerque and saw firsthand how structures come together and how much coordination it takes to build something that lasts. Those early experiences shaped my path into a career in construction which later sparked a deeper interest not only in infrastructure, but also in the people and relationships that surround it.

I hold both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, with a focus in Construction and Construction Management, both from UNM, and I am currently pursuing my PhD. My research centers on improving stakeholder relationships in projects on tribal land. Through my academic work and industry experience as an engineer and inspector, I have seen how miscommunication and a lack of cultural understanding can lead to conflict and inefficiency on projects, and I want to help address them. I am especially interested in water and transportation systems, as access to these services is critical for many tribal communities.

I intend my dissertation work to focus on identifying culturally grounded key performance indicators (KPIs) that better measure success in tribal projects, not focus on the cost or schedule, but on trust, communication, and long-term relationship building.

Besides my professional pursuits, I enjoy playing sports, board games, and going to the movie theater with my husband to watch a variety of films. We also love attending the New Mexico Lobos men’s basketball games whenever we can. We are huge fans! Every year, I confidently predict they will make it to the NCAA Final Four, no matter how the season is going.

I am excited to be part of the RUTA-HC Lab, where I have the opportunity to learn from others and continue expanding my knowledge in new areas of civil engineering.

Ahéheeʼ (thank you) for your time reading this.