Contact Information

University of Texas at El Paso
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the University of Texas System LSAMP

bflores@utep.edu
http://www.academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=70104&ID=bflores
El Paso TX 79968

Biography

Dr. Benjamin C. Flores is a first generation college student.  He was born and raised in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, across the border from El Paso, Texas. The son of a courageous single mom, he was encouraged by her and her extended family to excel in Academics. As an undergraduate he was invited to participate in research, first in Chemistry under the mentorship of Dr. Armin Mayr and, subsequently, in Electrical Engineering under the wing of Dr. John Jarem. A few days after earning a BSEE Magna Cum Laude, he was interviewed by Dr. Jack Smith who offered him a modest research assistant position on the spot, an offer that would forever change his life. Four years later, Dr. Flores would join the faculty of the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in 1990 after receiving his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University.

Dr. Flores is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and has held several administrative positions including Dean of the Graduate School, Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies for the College of Engineering, Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, and Interim Chair of the Computer Science Department.

More importantly, Dr. Flores has committed his academic career to developing programs that support STEM students from underrepresented groups.  His work in this area is extensive, ranging from the implementation of first year learning communities, academic support centers, peer led team learning workshops, undergraduate research academies, professional student organizations, and bridges to graduate programs.

Dr. Flores is the proud father of a teenager who is on his way to become an Eagle Scout and aspires to become a computer engineering entrepreneur.