Five outstanding alumni inducted into Academy of Engineering Excellence

The College of Engineering inducted five new members into the Virginia Tech Academy of Engineering Excellence at its annual ceremony to celebrate careers that reflect innovation, leadership, and a lasting impact on the future of engineering.

This year’s inductees are:

• Paula Hansen '93 
• James R. Martin II M.S. '87, Ph.D. '90
• Anthony J. Moraco '82, M.S. '84
• David W. Roop '76
• Zhenghe Xu Ph.D. '90

Each year, alumni are chosen to be inducted into the Academy of Engineering Excellence from the more than 84,000 living graduates of the Virginia Tech College of Engineering. Since its establishment in 1999, the academy has recognized just 195 graduates, making the group one of the most prestigious at Virginia Tech.

“The newest members of the Academy of Engineering Excellence represent the very best of Virginia Tech alumni through their leadership, innovation, and service,” said David Knight, interim dean of the College of Engineering. “Their accomplishments across industry, academia, research, and public service demonstrate the far-reaching impact of a Virginia Tech engineering degree and serve as an inspiration to our students, faculty, and fellow alumni.”

2026 Academy of Engineering Excellence inductees

Paula Hansen

• Bachelor’s degree, electrical engineering, 1993

Hansen was drawn to Virginia Tech for its highly regarded engineering program, but the smiles on the students' faces and the beautiful Hokie Stone buildings made her feel right at home. “I was so intrigued by Virginia Tech's engineering program that I was the first member of my family to leave Pennsylvania for college,” she said. “This speaks to the valuable experience I was attracted to and ended up having at Virginia Tech.” Her engineering classes fostered a curiosity in her for how things worked, how they were designed, and what outcomes they made possible.

As Hansen pursued a profession in the technology sector, she was drawn to help people and organizations solve business problems with technology. Since graduation, she has built more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning high-growth market expansion, partner ecosystems, marketing, professional services, and customer success.

Hansen is currently the president and chief revenue officer of Docusign, where she leads sales, presales, and customer success organizations. She is passionate about helping organizations unlock business value through the use of technology. “My career has been incredibly rewarding and I am grateful for the opportunity to shape corporate strategy and lead teams that work with customers to turn technology into outcomes,” she said.

Career highlights

• Serving on the executive teams of SAP, Alteryx, and now Docusign
• Serving on the board of directors for Darktrace, a leading AI-driven cybersecurity platform 
• Being named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in SaaS (Software as a Service) 
• Receiving the Gold Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year

James R. Martin II

• Master’s degree, civil engineering, 1987
• Ph.D., civil engineering, 1990

Martin grew up on a farm, which he says meant he was already an “engineer” before he knew the word. “Every day was about problem solving and fixing things with your hands and your mind, and that's exactly what engineering is,” he said. 

On summer road trips with his family, he was awed at the large dams, long bridges, highways being carved through mountains, and tall buildings he saw going up before his very eyes. “Those trips stretched my imagination of what could be,” Martin said. “I wanted to understand how people made those things.”

He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at The Citadel, then came to Virginia Tech, where he met people who showed him what it looked like to be an engineer at a world-class level and live a life of discovery through teaching, research, service, and professional engineering consulting. 

Currently the 13th chancellor of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Martin has spent his career deeply committed to advancing STEM education and research through visionary leadership in higher education. “Virginia Tech did not just give me an education — it gave me a world I had not yet imagined,” he said. “I arrived as an inquisitive farm kid from rural South Carolina and found a foundation that has carried me through a lifetime of leadership, service, and innovation.”

Career highlights 

• Serving as the 13th chancellor of North Carolina A&T State University, the nation’s largest HBCU and its top producer of Black engineers and STEM graduates
• Receiving the Norman Medal from the American Society of Civil Engineers, the highest award for published work in his field
• Provided effective leadership in progressive roles — department chair, engineering dean, and vice chancellor for STEM research and innovation — at three prominent R1 universities, driving significant growth in research, innovation, economic development, enrollment, and institutional reputation
• Being inducted into The Citadel Academy of Engineers, the Virginia Tech Academy of Engineering Excellence, and the Academy of Distinguished Alumni for the Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, all three lifetime career achievement awards 
• Serving for more than 20 years at Virginia Tech as a professor and research center director, earning international recognition for work in geotechnical earthquake and risk engineering research that influenced national building codes

Anthony "Tony" J. Moraco

• Bachelor’s degree, civil engineering, 1982
• Master’s degree, civil engineering, 1984

For first-generation college student  Moraco, the appeal of Virginia Tech’s close-knit college town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains brought him to Blacksburg. “I have always loved Virginia Tech’s campus and have fond memories of walking around the Duck Pond, tubing on the New River, and hiking in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains,” he said. 

Initially interested in architecture and construction, Moraco discovered surveying and mapping while pursuing his degree in civil engineering; that ultimately led him to graduate studies in photogrammetry and geodesy. Through this work, he became immersed in remote sensing using aircraft and satellites, launching a career focused on supporting U.S. national security within the defense and intelligence communities.

Moraco joined the technology and engineering company SAIC in 2006 and, during a pivotal moment in the company’s history, was named chief executive officer in 2013. In that role, he led the company’s rebranding and drove long-term value creation for employees, customers, and shareholders before retiring in 2019. “The excellent engineering education I received at Virginia Tech was foundational to my success throughout my career,” he said. “Beyond technical knowledge, I learned how to continuously learn and solve complex problems — important skills that I used every step of the way.”

Career highlights 

• Becoming CEO of SAIC and ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange to take the new SAIC public as a $4 billion company
• Being inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Alumni for the Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Creating the Moraco Fellowship Challenge with his wife, which has created 20 endowed fellowships for engineering faculty and graduate students across the College of Engineering
• Serving as a board member for the Virginia Tech Engineering Advisory Board, the Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Board, the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, and as board chair for the Defense Industry Initiative on Business Ethics and Conduct

David W. Roop

• Bachelor’s degree, electrical engineering, 1976

Roop is a nationally recognized leader in electric power transmission, grid reliability, and infrastructure resilience. But his path to the profession began close to home. As a child, he was fascinated by a neighbor who was an engineer and shared emerging technologies, including early home computing systems. He was equally influenced by a power company engineer who spoke about the satisfaction of work that directly serves people and communities. “These experiences piqued my interest, so I got a summer job as an electrician apprentice to gain hands-on experience,” Roop said. “That further convinced me this was a field I wanted to pursue.”

That early curiosity launched a 43-year career in the electric utility industry, including nearly two decades as director of electric transmission operations and reliability at Dominion Energy. In this role, Roop oversaw the operation of thousands of miles of transmission lines and hundreds of substations across multiple states, helping ensure the reliability and resilience of critical infrastructure until his retirement in 2020. 

Since then, Roop has remained deeply engaged in the field as a power industry consultant and adjunct professor of practice in Virginia Tech’s Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He continues to advance the profession through teaching, research, and service while mentoring younger engineers. “The lessons I learned at Virginia Tech taught me to continuously learn and gave me a foundation not to ignore problems, but to take them on and solve them,” he said.

Career highlights 

• Being inducted into the National Academy of Engineering
• Serving as vice president of the Virginia Academy of Science Engineering and Medicine
• Serving as president of the CIGRE U.S. National Committee
• Serving as a member of the Board of Directors for Southern States LLC and on the Electric Infrastructure Security Council Electric Subsector Committee
• Receiving the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Power and Energy Society Leadership in Power Award
• Being inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Alumni for the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Zhenghe Xu

• Ph.D., materials engineering science, 1990

Xu was drawn to Virginia Tech for its global reputation in mining and mineral processing, as well as its outstanding training programs, state-of-the-art facilities, and cutting-edge research. What kept him connected to the university, however, were the lasting relationships he built with mentors and colleagues. Among them, University Distinguished Professor Roe-Hoan Yoon had a profound influence, shaping Xu’s approach to leadership and mentorship in his role today as Chair Professor and founding dean of the College of Engineering at the Southern University of Science and Technology, in Shenzhen, China.

“Dr. Yoon not only provided me with a generous research assistantship that allowed me to focus fully on my Ph.D. research, but also gave me an exciting project that enabled me to apply the fundamental science I learned at Virginia Tech to solve complex challenges in fine coal processing,” Xu said. “That experience laid a solid foundation for my academic career.”

Following his time at Virginia Tech, Xu became an internationally recognized leader in materials engineering and natural resources processing. He has authored more than 500 peer-reviewed publications, holds numerous patents, and has mentored hundreds of graduate students and researchers around the world.

“I feel fortunate to have been educated at Virginia Tech,” Xu said. “The university’s motto has always guided my work, from mineral processing to the sustainable development of energy resources. I have had a great career that allowed me to be recognized by my peers, not only publishing outstanding papers, but also winning numerous recognitions, such as this induction into the Virginia Tech Academy of Engineering Excellence.”

Career highlights 

• Becoming a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering 
• Serving as an executive committee member for the Global Engineering Deans Council
• Receiving the Antoine M. Gaudin Award from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration

Read about past inductees to the Academy of Engineering Excellence.