Tech Titans, the technology association for North Texas, will induct recently retired UT Dallas president Richard Benson into its Hall of Fame.

“Dr. Benson is a formidable, visionary leader of UT Dallas and a tremendous supporter of Tech Titans and the North Texas technology community. Thanks to his leadership, UT Dallas sends about two-thirds of its STEM graduates into the local workforce,” Tech Titans Executive Director Paul Bendel said in a statement.

“Under his leadership, UT Dallas grew in enrollment, moved up to NCAA Division II in 2025, qualified for elite research dollars from the National Research University Fund in 2018, and secured several important government projects,” Bendel added. “In addition to his support of technology, Benson led efforts to infuse arts and culture into the university, making it highly attractive to internationally recognized artists and performers. Today, UT Dallas boasts nationally ranked programs in STEM, management, liberal arts and social sciences majors.”

Benson served as the university’s president from July 15, 2016, through Aug. 1. He’ll be recognized at the 2025 Tech Titans Awards event on Sept 12.

Impact at UTD

Per Tech Titans, here are some of Benson’s accomplishments:

:: Despite significant challenges, notably the COVID pandemic of 2020-2021, UT Dallas has advanced during the nine years of Benson’s presidency—academic years 2017 through 2025. Notable metrics include an 11% increase in enrollment, 12% increase in tenure-system faculty, 14% increase in academic space, 125% increase in federal research expenditures, and 96% increase in endowment.

:: Support of UTDesign Capstone, a pioneering program that facilitates dynamic academia-industry collaboration. The program has won 11 national championships and seven second-place awards in national competitions since 2014, and the program was honored with the 2024 Tech Titans of the Future Award.

:: Sponsor and host of many Tech Titans programs and events, including the organization’s STEM program for North Texas elementary, middle, and high school students.

:: Numerous industry/university collaborations including the Richardson Innovation Quarter, or Richardson IQ.

:: International partnerships including establishing new student recruitment offices in New Delhi, India, and Lagos, Nigeria.

:: Benson achieved his vision to transform UT Dallas from a STEM to a STEAM university, excelling in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. That goal was realized with completion of the first phase of construction of what will eventually be a three-building arts and performance district at UT Dallas — the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr. Athenaeum. The first building opened in fall 2024 and is devoted to the visual arts. The centerpiece is the Trammell and Margaret Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas, gifted to the university in 2019. The second building, which will open in late 2026, will accommodate the performing arts with a 680-seat concert hall. A third building, still in preliminary design, will open around 2030 and will focus on the visual arts.

:: Benson has long supported major new initiatives that bridge engineering, science, and medicine. At UT Dallas, he advanced the growing partnership with UT Southwestern Medical Center, highlighted by the shared new facility on the UT Southwestern East Campus: the Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Building.

:: Tech Titans said that since moving to North Texas in 2016, he has been an active member, including various stints with the respective boards of directors, with major business organizations that advance the success of the region. Those include Tech Titans, the Dallas Regional Chamber, and the Dallas Citizens Council.

Academic and technical expertise

Benson’s role as UT Dallas president also provides connection with The University of Texas System that includes 12 additional UT System institutions and their presidents, as well as UT System leaders in Austin.

Benson came to UT Dallas from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he served as dean of the College of Engineering beginning in 2005. Before that, he was head of mechanical and nuclear engineering at The Pennsylvania State University for 10 years. Benson also served as chair of mechanical engineering at the University of Rochester (UR) and before that, he was the associate dean for graduate studies at UR.

Benson’s research at the University of Rochester was focused primarily on the mechanics of highly flexible structures. Before his university career, Benson worked for Xerox Corp. as a technical specialist and project manager.

In 1998, he was named a fellow of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and in 2009, he was elected to a three-year term on the ASME Board of Governors. He also has held editorial positions with the ASME Press, ASME’s Journal of Applied Mechanics and ASME’s Applied Mechanics Reviews.

Helping North Texas technical companies thrive

Tech Titans: the Technology Association for North Texas is the largest technology trade association in Texas with 200 member companies from across the region. The organization said that from startup companies to major corporations, its members collaborate to create the innovation and business opportunities that help technology companies thrive in North Texas.

Tech Titans said it is active in:

• Cultivating a technology community of companies, entrepreneurs, investors and students.
• Growing future tech leaders with its talent and workforce development initiative.
• Advocating technology’s advancement in governmental arenas.
• Connecting people and inspiring innovative ideas through its programs and special interest forums.

Ticket info for the September 12th Tech Titans Awards event is available here.

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