The Abertis Chair created the Abertis Research Prize on Transport Infrastructure and Services Management in Spain in 2003, and the Abertis Prize on Road Safety in 2016.
These prizes recognize unpublished studies and research work conducted by university students, addressing various aspects related to the management of transport infrastructure and services, as well as road safety.
The Abertis Chair is located at the Mayagüez campus of the University of Puerto Rico, which is locally and internationally renowned for its programmes in Engineering, Technology and Agricultural Sciences.
The University of Puerto Rico is the oldest and most comprehensive, stringent and superior educational institution in Puerto Rico. It is accredited by the main professional bodies in the United States, which facilitates the option of pursuing further studies in the US.
As a research institution the University carries out a series of projects and exchanges with more than 120 universities around the world, has alliances with global institutions and provides the students with learning, research and extra-curricula activities.
They strive to provide the necessary training for the students of today, giving them the tools they need to get the most out of their studies and develop as professionals and individuals.
José Manuel Vassallo holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from UPM and a degree in Economics from the UNED.
He was a visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is currently a professor in the Department of Transportation, Land Use, and Urban Planning at the UPM, and director of the Transportation Research Center (TRANSyT) at the same university.