Maria Rivera de Escobar

Panamanian engineer who pioneered Latin America's civil engineering advancements

Maria Rivera de Escobar (1905-1988) broke gender barriers as Panama's first female civil engineer, designing critical infrastructure during the 1930s-1960s. Her work on the Panama Canal expansion and the Panama City Metro laid foundations for modern urban development. As director of the National Institute of Housing (1958-1965), she created low-cost housing solutions for 100,000+ families. Rivera's UN Habitat awards recognize her sustainable urban planning. Read her biography or explore her technical papers.