Women Building: Progress and Challenges in Civil Engineering

The 3rd 'Women Building' conference by CEDEX highlights female contributions to infrastructure and discusses future sector equality.

Generic image of construction pipes and a blurred urban skyline.
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Generic image of construction pipes and a blurred urban skyline.

The 3rd conference of the 'Women Building' cycle, organized by CEDEX, has highlighted the contributions of women in civil engineering and debated challenges for a more diverse and egalitarian sector.

The Transport Studies Center (CET) of CEDEX, through its CEDEX is EQUAL initiative, has held the third edition of the 'Women Building' conference. The event aims to value the talent, careers, and contributions of women in fields related to the activities of CEDEX's centers and laboratories.
The conference explored various perspectives in road engineering. Rita Ruiz, titular professor at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), addressed the recovery of women historically excluded from the narrative of infrastructure. Meanwhile, Conchita Lucas, head of the Transport Infrastructure Department at Dragados, presented the technical and territorial challenges of complex projects.
Following the screening of a testimonial video featuring statements from sector professionals, a roundtable discussion titled 'Paving the Way' took place. Moderated by Raquel Martínez, it included Rita Ruiz, Conchita Lucas, Laura Parra, and María José Rallo, who shared enriching personal experiences and conclusions on the future of roads, mobility, and transport infrastructure, with a focus on female leadership and public management.
A shared conclusion emerged from the event: 'much progress has been made, but we must continue working'. The importance of recognizing achievements was stressed, as well as the need to continue highlighting role models, promoting equal opportunities, and advancing towards a sector where all talent can develop and add value.
Gratitude was extended to all participants for their knowledge, experience, and vision, for contributing to highlighting female talent and continuing to build a more egalitarian infrastructure sector. Thanks were also given to all attendees.
Based on information from the official source: CEDEX — Centro de Estudios y Experimentación de Obras Públicas (13/10/2026)