Department website: https://cockrell.utexas.edu/

Graduate work in engineering may lead to the Master of Science in Engineering or the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the following majors: aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, engineering mechanics, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, operations research and industrial engineering, and petroleum engineering. The Master of Science in Engineering degree is also offered with a major in environmental and water resources engineering; and, through executive programs, in electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, and engineering management. A graduate certificate in Engineering Education is available to degree-seeking graduate students in the Cockrell School of Engineering. Stackable Graduate Certificates, available in Mechanical Engineering and in Petroleum Engineering, provide students with the opportunity to earn a transcript-recognized, non-degree workforce-aligned credential. Integrated degree programs are available in biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. The integrated programs result in the simultaneous awarding of a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, or Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree, and a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) degree. Information about the concentrations offered in each field is given in the program descriptions.

Programs

Aerospace Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy

Biomedical Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy

Chemical Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy

Civil Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy

Engineering Management

Master of Science in Engineering

Engineering Mechanics

Master of Science in Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy

Materials Science and Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy

Mechanical Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy

Operations Research and Industrial Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy

Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy

Semiconductor Science and Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering

Dual Degree Programs

The following dual degree programs are offered. More information is available from the graduate advisor in each program. 

Major(s)	Degree(s)
Mechanical engineering/Business administration	MSE/MBA
Medicine/Biomedical engineering	MD/MSE
Public affairs/Civil engineering	MPAff/MSE

Intercollegial Programs

Graduate engineering study may also be a component of the master's and doctoral degrees in computational science, engineering, and mathematics described in Intercollegial Programs.

Requirements and Policy

Executive Programs

Several programs allow working professionals to pursue the Master of Science in Engineering or a Stackable Graduate Certificate while employed full time. These programs are offered with alternative scheduling and modalities (weekend programs, online, and hybrid) and courses are designed to allow students to increase their career potential. Master’s Degree students may major in Engineering Management, Mechanical Engineering, or Electrical and Computer Engineering. Stackable Graduate Certificates are available in Mechanical Engineering: Controls, Petroleum Engineering: Data Analytics, Petroleum Engineering: Fundamentals, and Petroleum Engineering: Unconventional Resources. These programs are specifically designed to meet identified workforce needs and provide engineers and STEM professionals with immediately applicable skills and knowledge to be useful for their lives and careers. Programs offering onsite classes generally meet once a month on Fridays and Saturdays. Programs offered online are synchronous or asynchronous. Additional information about these executive and alternatively scheduled programs for STEM professionals is published by Texas Engineering Executive Education.

For More Information

URL: https://cockrell.utexas.edu/

Aerospace Engineering

The aerospace engineering graduate program focuses on teaching and research in analytical, computational, and experimental methods in the areas of aerothermodynamics and fluid mechanics; solids, structures, and materials; structural dynamics; guidance and control; and orbital mechanics. The student may concentrate in any of these five areas. The objectives of the program are to enable the student to attain a deeper understanding of aerospace engineering fundamentals, a knowledge of recent developments, and the ability as a master’s degree student to participate in research and as a doctoral degree student to conduct individual research. The goals are accomplished through coursework, seminars, and active research programs.

For More Information

Email: ase.grad@utexas.edu

URL: http://www.ae.utexas.edu/

Biomedical Engineering

Graduate degrees in biomedical engineering have been offered by the University since 1974. The undergraduate degree program and the Department of Biomedical Engineering were established in 2001. The department fosters a unique environment in which scholars and scientists may excel in both fundamental research and its translation to clinical applications.

The mission of the UT Austin graduate program in biomedical engineering is to educate students in the fundamentals of engineering and science as they affect biology and medicine and to perform multidisciplinary, disease-oriented research at the molecular, cellular, organ, and systemic levels. The program aims fully to integrate biology and engineering research and education at the graduate level.

The graduate program has approximately 130 students, with backgrounds in biology, chemistry, physics, and various engineering disciplines. Students come from all over the United States and the world to gain unique knowledge and experience. Apart from coursework and research in some of the world’s premier laboratories, there are many opportunities for personal and professional development through interaction with industry professionals, conference attendance, and seminars with leaders in the field.

This program has been designated as a STEM-eligible degree program, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security.

For More Information

Email: bme-grad@engr.utexas.edu

URL: http://www.bme.utexas.edu/

Chemical Engineering

The graduate program in chemical engineering is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop advanced competence in transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and reaction engineering for the application of chemistry to the advancement of society. Through formal coursework and mentoring, each student is expected to acquire the tools to develop and transmit new knowledge and processes in a focused area of chemical engineering. The focused research areas include advanced materials, polymers and nanotechnology, biotechnology, energy, environmental engineering and sustainability, modeling and simulation, and process engineering.

For More Information

Email: chemegrad@utexas.edu

URL: https://che.utexas.edu/academics/graduate-program

Civil Engineering

Building Energy and Environments

The Building Energy and Environments program investigates a wide range of issues related to building environments and environmental systems. The program research focuses on energy flows and conservation methods; building energy efficiency; environmental control systems; moisture transport and control; indoor microbial growth and fate; sources of VOCs, SVOCs, and particles; homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions; transport of indoor pollutants; and human exposure. Beside taking coursework in other areas of civil engineering and in other departments, students have a chance to specialize in building environmental systems and various aspect of indoor environmental quality. The diverse faculty, with expertise ranging from environmental, architectural, and mechanical engineering, offers a large variety of graduate courses that address different aspects of indoor air quality and energy efficiency of building environmental systems. This provides students with a unique opportunity to receive both the depth and breadth of knowledge necessary to design and maintain truly sustainable buildings. Students, faculty, and staff within the Building Energy and Environments Group conduct their research in academic laboratories equipped with cutting-edge instrumentation and simulation systems.

Infrastructure Materials Engineering

The graduate program in infrastructure materials engineering emphasizes the characterization and testing of materials such as asphalt, cement, aggregates, concrete, steel, masonry, wood, polymers, and composites.  Research and coursework focus on the materials science, property development, field performance, durability, forensics, and repair of infrastructure materials. 

Environmental and Water Resources Engineering 

This program is designed to educate engineers who will solve environmental and water resources problems by applying concepts of sustainability and fundamental principles from the natural sciences, mathematics, mechanics, economics, and other underlying disciplines. To achieve this objective, the program offers a breadth of possible research and study areas. The faculty is one of the largest and most diverse in the nation, with expertise ranging from environmental fluid mechanics to water resources planning and from pollutant transport to treatment processes. The major areas of emphasis are treatment process engineering, air resources engineering, environmental remediation, water quality, water resources engineering, and ocean engineering. Because the program requires no specific courses, each student’s education can be designed to meet their goals. The faculty offers a wide variety of courses, and students may choose courses in other related fields, such as chemical engineering, chemistry, geology, mathematics, microbiology, petroleum engineering, physics, and public policy. Once students choose a particular study area, they work closely with the faculty member or members conducting research in that area. Each student’s program of study includes a balanced combination of coursework, seminars, and research. 

Geotechnical Engineering

This program is designed to offer students a broad range of activities with a solid basis in the core areas of geotechnical engineering. Graduates receive a strong background in the basics through courses in geotechnical engineering, which offer the foundation for a successful professional career. In addition, the program exposes students to research activities that are at the forefront of developments in the field.

Mechanics, Uncertainty, and Simulation in Engineering (MUSE)

The graduate program in MUSE aims at preparing students to address the increasingly complex engineering problems modern societies face, through multi-disciplinary training rooted in applied mechanics, applied mathematics, and computational modeling. Students are expected to take courses reflective of the interdisciplinary character of the program.

Graduate students pursuing a thesis-option Master of Science degree or doctoral studies are exposed to the program’s research activities. Current research endeavors focus on model-based simulation of challenging multi-physics and multi-disciplinary engineering problems. Examples include the modeling of the dynamic response of structures; performance of structures in the offshore environment; structural response under extreme loads (wind, earthquake, hurricane, blast, etc.); soil-structure interaction problems under seismic loads; inverse problems and the non-destructive condition assessment of engineered and natural systems; structural reliability and uncertainty quantification problems; the performance of subsea systems, pipelines, and energy-generating systems such as wind turbines and hydrokinetic devices; the modeling of deterioration and aging processes afflicting the infrastructure; the modeling of material behavior; the propagation of waves and their interactions; and problems in computational engineering. Though the program’s focus derives chiefly from problems affecting the infrastructure and the built environment, our reach goes well beyond as we seek to address bigger societal questions related to energy, natural and man-made disasters, and physical/natural processes at various temporal and spatial scales. Research projects integrate theoretical results and computational modeling with experimental studies, where appropriate.

Ocean Engineering

Students interested in ocean engineering and in offshore structures may develop an appropriate course of study in consultation with the faculty. These programs are typically interdisciplinary, including work in hydrodynamics, structural analysis and dynamics, steel design, soils and foundations, and computational methods. Students may also participate in the work of the Offshore Technology Research Center.

Structural Engineering

The graduate program in structural engineering addresses the analysis and design of reinforced and prestressed concrete, timber, steel, masonry, and composite structural systems. 

Sustainable Systems

The graduate program in Sustainable Systems is intended to provide students with an education and research experience that is cross-disciplinary. The program permits considerable flexibility in the selection of courses and participation in research experiences, thereby allowing students to tailor the graduate program according to their background and educational objectives. This program aligns with CAEE’s Strategic Plan, which focuses on the Cities, Water, and Energy nexus, challenging civil, architectural, and environmental engineers to address complex problems through innovative and cross-disciplinary solutions. 

Transportation Engineering

The Center for Transportation Research administers an extensive cooperative research program with the Texas Department of Transportation, the United States Department of Transportation, as well as a spectrum of sponsored projects with other agencies, including the Transportation Research Board, and the National Science Foundation.

For More Information

Email: caee.grad@engr.utexas.edu

URL: http://www.caee.utexas.edu/

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Applications may be made to one of the Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) programs in ECE to pursue the MSE degree or may be made to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in ECE to pursue the PhD. A master’s degree is not required to obtain the PhD, but a student entering the PhD program without a master’s degree in the same or a related field typically can choose to also pursue the MSE along the way. Similarly, a student in one of the MSE programs can be admitted to the PhD program for continuing study. In either case, the student often can earn both degrees with little or no additional effort beyond that required to earn only the PhD by using much or all the same classroom-instruction-based ("classroom") coursework for both degrees.

Beyond the requirement to accumulate a minimum of six credit hours of the Dissertation course for the PhD, which are taken on a credit/no credit basis, both the MSE and the PhD Programs of Work require 30 semester hours (10 three-hour semester-long courses or equivalent) of coursework including at least 18 hours of major work and at least six hours of supporting work. Both the MSE and the PhD Program of Work can include up to two upper-division undergraduate courses (three hours or more each) where available, but supporting work must include at least one graduate course (three hours). Which courses may be counted as major work and which may be counted as supporting work depend on both the student’s academic track and the student’s individual interests. Ultimately, all major and supporting coursework must be logically related. Individual academic tracks may have additional requirements. The academic track advisor, and/or the student’s individual supervisor if any, provide guidance as to which courses a student may count toward major or supporting work. Additional courses may be taken outside the Program of Work, such as courses taken for remedial purposes and, on a credit/no credit basis, Research Problems and additional Dissertation courses. The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies of The University of Texas at Austin requires graduate students to maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.00 (B) for all coursework taken while within the graduate program and to achieve a 3.00 GPA for all coursework taken within the graduate program that is included within an MSE or PhD Program of Work. Program-specific information and additional requirements for each graduate program within ECE are provided in what follows. Still more information is available online, from a graduate coordinator within the ECE Advising Office, from the academic track advisors, and from other sources.

There are eight named academic tracks spanning electrical and computer engineering around which admissions, course offerings, and advising are organized, as listed below. However, the interests and work of students and faculty alike may overlap more than one track.

Architecture, Computer Systems, and Embedded Systems

Computer architecture is at the interface of computer hardware and software. Its practitioners are responsible for specifying, designing, and implementing at the architecture level the hardware structures that carry out the work specified by computer software. Computer architects share the responsibility for providing mechanisms that algorithms, compilers, and operating systems can use to enhance the performance and/or energy requirements of running applications. Computer architecture spans many dimensions, such as the scope of a processor (embedded processors, desktop systems, servers, and supercomputers); the target application (general-purpose versus domain-specific); the characteristics of the design objectives (speed, power consumption, cost, reliability, availability, and reconfigurability); and the measurement and analysis of resulting designs.

bioECE

Understanding, engineering, and interfacing with biological systems are among humanity’s most important challenges, impacting numerous fields from basic science to health. Motivated by this larger vision, the bioECE track is focused on the intersection of electrical and computer engineering with biology and medicine. It includes biomedical instrumentation, biophotonics, health informatics, bioinformatics, neural engineering, computational neuroscience, and synthetic biology. Associated faculty have expertise in diverse topics: cardiovascular instrumentation, neuroscience, neural engineering and the machine-brain interface, image and signal processing (feature extraction and diagnostic interpretation), health information technologies (data mining, electronic medical records analysis), VLSI biomedical circuits (biosensing, lab-on-a-chip), algorithms for large-scale genomic analysis, and molecular programming (engineering molecules that compute).

Decision, Information, and Communications Engineering

This track involves research and design in the following fields: (1) Communications and networking: all aspects of transmission of data, including: wireless communications, communication theory, information theory, networking, queueing theory, stochastic processes, sensor networks; (2) Data science and machine learning: all aspects of extraction of knowledge from data, including: algorithms, data mining, optimization, statistics, pattern recognition, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence; and (3) Controls, signals, and systems: estimation and detection; signal, image and video processing; linear and nonlinear systems.

Electromagnetics and Acoustics

This track includes the study of electromagnetic and acoustic phenomena ranging from ultralow frequencies to the visible spectrum. The activities in electromagnetics involve research in antenna design, radar scattering, computational methods, wave-matter interaction, bioelectromagnetics, wave manipulation using artificial materials, wireless propagation channels, microwave and millimeter-wave integrated circuits, guided wave devices and systems, electromagnetic forces (including electrostrictive and magnetostrictive forces), and Maxwell's stress tensor. The activities in acoustics involve research in transducers, microelectromechanical systems, atmospheric and underwater acoustics, and noise and vibration control.

Electronics, Photonics, and Quantum Systems

This track focuses on the development and improvement of electronic, photonic, optoelectronic, spintronic, and micro-electromechanical (MEMS) materials, devices, and systems for a variety of applications including digital, neuromorphic and quantum computing, high-speed communications, displays, sensors, and power applications. Electronic devices include nano-scaled CMOS transistors and, post-CMOS devices, memory, and compute-in-memory devices including memristors and magnetic and ferroelectric tunnel junctions. Photonic devices include photodetectors, solar cells, optical interconnects, LEDs, and lasers, including those incorporating semiconductor heterostructures, and topological photonic, metamaterials, metasurfaces, and other novel nanophotonic structures. Sensors include those for acoustic, chemical, and biological applications. Material systems include unstrained and strained column-IV and III-V- materials in bulk and quantum-well heterostructures, intrinsically low-dimensional systems including carbon nanotubes (1D) and mono-layer or few-layer graphene or transition metal dichalcogenides structures (2D), and organic and polymer thin films. Thin layers and heterostructures can be created through molecular beam epitaxy or various forms of chemical vapor deposition. Naturally 2D material layers also can be pulled from the layer stacks and manipulated by methods including novel methods developed in-house.

Integrated Circuits and Systems

This track involves all aspects of analysis, design, synthesis, and implementation of digital, analog, mixed-signal, and radio frequency (RF) integrated circuits and systems for applications in computing, sensing, and communications. Research in the area spans levels of abstraction from devices to systems-on-chip (SoC), and involves transceiver architectures, data converters, memory technologies, signal processing systems, integrated bio-chips, neuromorphic computing, high-performance and low-power design, fault tolerance, design for manufacturability (DFM), design for test (DFT), verification,  computer-aided design (CAD) and electronic design automation (EDA).

Power Electronics and Power Systems

This track involves research in the generation, transmission, distribution, conversion, storage, and management of electric energy. Research activities include but are not limited to advanced power semiconductor devices; high-frequency-power-electronic conversion systems; high-frequency magnetics; medium voltage power electronics for applications in renewable energy, energy storage and smart grid systems; dc power grids; power system analyses; modeling and simulation of power systems; grid data analytics; security and resilience of power grid infrastructures; microgrids; protection systems; energy system economics and optimization; electricity markets; power system harmonics; power quality; and distributed generation.

Software Engineering and Systems

This track involves all aspects of engineering software systems. In addition to the problem of requirements, research and study in the area addresses architecting, designing, building, testing, analyzing, evaluating, deploying, maintaining, and evolving software systems. Problems investigated include theory, techniques, methods, processes, tools, middleware, and environments for all types of software systems in all types of domains and applications. This area of study also is available to working professionals through the Alternatively Scheduled MSE program with a concentration in Software Engineering administered by Texas Engineering Executive Education (TxEEE).

For More Information

Email: ecegrad@ece.utexas.edu

URL: https://www.ece.utexas.edu/academics/graduate

Engineering Management

The Engineering Management program is offered by the Cockrell School of Engineering and administered by Texas Engineering Executive Education. The mission of the program is to contribute significantly to engineers’ managerial leadership abilities within their technological organizations by allowing students an opportunity to pursue higher education that is innovative and intellectually inspiring. The program fulfills this mission by offering courses that teach engineers how to lead and how to manage projects, processes, personnel, products, and services in real-world situations.

The interdisciplinary engineering management faculty includes members of several departments of the Cockrell School of Engineering and the McCombs School of Business. The current research of this faculty includes such topics as finance and accounting for engineering manager; strategic decision and risk analysis; marketing and negotiation; management of people and organizations; and legal issues and technology management, such as product liability and patent law.

The MSE with a major in engineering management's challenging, innovative, and intellectually inspiring curriculum is designed to meet the needs of working professionals and technology organizations of all types. Students are expected to develop their perspectives on leadership and management of technology in industry and to gain insight into other management issues critical to leading or managing a technological organization through the program's required curriculum, which is designed to help students become better engineering leaders who can manage personnel, projects, processes, products, and services.

The program’s special scheduling option allows working professionals to earn an advanced degree while maintaining their career, meeting once a month on Friday and Saturday.

Program curriculum aligns with the American Society for Engineering Management Body of Knowledge. In addition, all curriculum aligns with the University's policies governing non-formula-funded (Option III) degree programs.

For More Information

Email: utmasters@engr.utexas.edu

URL: https://executive.engr.utexas.edu/academic-programs/degrees/engr-manage

Engineering Mechanics

The engineering mechanics graduate program is involved in teaching and research in analytical, computational, and experimental methods in mechanics of solids, structures, and materials and fluid mechanics. 

Graduate study is offered in the areas of theoretical mechanics and applied mathematics, dynamics, computational mechanics, experimental fluid mechanics, computational fluid dynamics, finite element methods, boundary element methods, experimental mechanics, solid and structural mechanics, and structural dynamics.

Candidates for a graduate degree in engineering mechanics must meet all the general requirements for advanced degrees. 

For More Information

Email: ase.grad@utexas.edu

URL: http://www.ae.utexas.edu/

Materials Science and Engineering

Graduate study is focused on a range of materials, including metals and alloys, ceramics, polymers, composites, nanomaterials, structural materials, electronic and photonic materials, energy materials, and computational materials.

For More Information

Email: mse@tmi.utexas.edu

URL: http://www.tmi.utexas.edu

Mechanical Engineering

The graduate program in mechanical engineering is designed to educate engineers who will be in the forefront of the mechanical engineering profession, leading the way to new and improved engineering systems to transform energy, materials, and information to meet the needs of society. To achieve this objective, the program offers a breadth of research and study areas and facilities. The faculty values creativity, the novel application of fundamental engineering science, interdisciplinary activities, the development of future leaders and a community of scholars, professionalism, and excitement in discovery. The program is designed to enhance these values, drawing upon the diverse interests and experience of the faculty. The major areas of emphasis are described below.

Acoustics

The Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offer an interdisciplinary course of study in this field. Research projects are carried out in physical acoustics, industrial acoustics, electroacoustics, nonlinear acoustics, underwater acoustics, and biomedical acoustics. 

Biomechanical Engineering

This concentration provides studies for application of mechanical engineering principles to biological and medical problems. Areas of study are physiology, bioheat transfer, biomaterials, biorheology, health physics, biosignal analysis, biomechanics, ultrasonics, and biomedical computing. Supporting courses and facilities are also provided through the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Dynamic Systems and Control

This concentration offers intensive study in the analysis, design, and control of engineered and natural systems. Areas of study include applied mechanics, biomedical engineering, constitutive modeling of materials, electromechanics, information and control theory, mechanisms and robotics, mechatronics, modeling of multienergy domain systems, multibody dynamics, simulation and analysis of system dynamics, tribology, and vibrations. 

Manufacturing and Decision Systems Engineering

Manufacturing and decision systems engineering (MDSE) embraces the broad spectrum of knowledge required by decision makers in the realms of manufacturing and service systems. MDSE curriculum covers topics drawn from mechanical systems and design, thermal and fluid systems, materials science and engineering, operations research and industrial engineering, and leadership and entrepreneurship. 

Manufacturing and Design

The concentration in manufacturing and design offers state-of-the-art programs in innovative manufacturing processes, product design and development, and supporting technologies. Areas of study include product design methods, layer-based manufacturing (solid freeform fabrication), machine design, unit manufacturing processes, robotics, contemporary prototyping, reverse engineering, optimization techniques, computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), computational geometry, machine intelligence, and design for people with disabilities. W

An alternatively scheduled master’s degree program in advanced manufacturing engineering, a subarea of manufacturing and design, also exists but is inactive. More information is available from the graduate advisor.

Materials Engineering

This concentration encompasses graduate study in the fields of materials development, characterization and processing, and in structure-property-performance relationships. Areas of study include ceramics, physical metallurgy, mechanical behavior, materials processing, fuel cells, high-energy density batteries, new materials development, nanomaterials and nanotechnology, corrosion, and microelectronics packaging. The Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering is also a primary participant in the interdisciplinary materials science and engineering graduate degree program.

Nuclear and Radiation Engineering

This concentration provides graduate study and research in nuclear radiation science, analysis and design of nuclear systems, and experimental techniques in nuclear technology. Emphasis is on radiation transport and measurements, neutron physics, health physics and dosimetry, transport and disposal of nuclear wastes, and nuclear material safeguards and disposition. 

Thermal/Fluid Systems

This concentration offers graduate study and research in the areas of thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, fluid mechanics, combustion, energy conversion, energy conservation, alternative energy, microscale heat transfer, microfluidics, advanced laser-materials processing, and thermoelectrics. 

For More Information

Email: mailto:graduate-office@me.utexas.edu

URL: https://www.me.utexas.edu/academics/graduate-program

Operations Research and Industrial Engineering

The program in operations research and industrial engineering is designed to educate engineers who will solve complex industrial-socioeconomic problems by applying fundamental principles from engineering, mathematics, economics, computer science, and systems theory. In support of this end, a wide variety of research and study areas are offered by a faculty whose expertise covers such fields as optimization, simulation, statistics, stochastic processes, decision analysis, and manufacturing systems. The program is rigorous but sufficiently flexible to accommodate the needs and interests of most students.

Once students choose a study area, they work closely with one or more faculty members pursuing research in that area. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the program, many projects involve teamwork and collaboration with departments in the Cockrell School of Engineering and the McCombs School of Business. Each student’s program includes a balanced combination of coursework, seminars, computational analysis, and research. 

For More Information

Email: mailto:graduate-office@me.utexas.edu

URL: https://www.me.utexas.edu/academics/graduate-program/areas-of-study/operations-research-and-industrial-engineering

Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering

This program is designed to educate engineers to develop technology and solve problems related to  earth energy resources. Student research has traditionally focused on oil and gas, but sustainability topics are growing in importance in the curriculum and as research endeavors. Once students have chosen a degree option, they may choose to work closely with a faculty member conducting research in their area of interest. The program offers a doctoral degree based on a combination of coursework and research, and a master’s degree based on either a thesis or a report, or on coursework alone.

Hildebrand Department faculty are leaders in technology for the development of unconventional oil and gas, mentoring students to advance technology in drilling techniques, hydraulic fracturing, reservoir characterization and improved recovery, working to maximize the value of every well drilled for the abundant shale plays in the United States and around the world. Our researchers also work on ways to better utilize legacy oil and gas plays, devising new Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) methods to better extract the last drop of oil from discovered fields. We also recognize that, given the world currently depends on fossil fuels for 80% of its energy, and in the United States we depend on oil and gas for 70% of our energy, it is crucial that we innovate in ways to make those energy sources more sustainable. New programs in methane emissions monitoring and mitigation given students opportunities to be part of the solution for a lower carbon future. Research in carbon capture and storage (removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it in underground aquifers and depleted reservoirs) are innovations from petroleum engineering that will also address reducing CO2 impacts on climate. Program faculty are engaged in low carbon energy technologies such as geothermal energy, hydrogen, and rare earth metals supply, which are innovations that build on the foundation of petroleum engineering knowledge base and provide students with a broad and resilient experience that will lead to a rewarding career.

For More Information

Email: pgegradoffice@mail.utexas.edu

URL: http://www.pge.utexas.edu/

Semiconductor Science and Engineering

Subsurface Energy Engineering 

Faculty in the Hildebrand Department are leaders in subsurface-related energy transition topics, including geothermal energy, hydrogen storage, natural hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, methane emissions mitigation, and the decarbonization of fossil fuels. Our researchers also explore ways to diversify energy sources beyond oil and gas. Key areas of innovation include carbon capture and storage (removing CO₂ from the atmosphere and storing it in aquifers or depleted reservoirs), carbon mineralization, hydrogen production and storage, nuclear waste disposal in the subsurface, and geothermal energy. In addition, faculty are engaged in advancing low-carbon energy technologies such as geothermal, hydrogen, and rare earth metals supply. These innovations build on the strong foundation of petroleum engineering expertise and provide students with a broad and resilient education that prepares them for rewarding careers in the evolving energy landscape.

For More Information

Email: mailto:pgegradoffice@mail.utexas.edu

URL: http://www.pge.utexas.edu/

Admission

Aerospace Engineering

The prerequisite for graduate study in aerospace engineering is a bachelor’s or master’s degree in aerospace engineering or in a related field of engineering or science. Graduate study in orbital mechanics is possible for those with degrees in engineering, science, or mathematics.

Biomedical Engineering

The graduate advisor and the Admissions Committee make all admission decisions. Standards for entrance into the program exceed the minimum standards established by the University. Students must have a bachelor’s degree with the following coursework or equivalent knowledge: freshman biology, freshman inorganic chemistry, physiology, differential equations, probability and statistics, and calculus-based physics. An applicant with a degree in an area other than engineering must take specified preliminary coursework before applying to the graduate program in biomedical engineering. The coursework does not need to be completed at UT Austin. Information about the admission process is given online.

Admission decisions are based on a careful review of all aspects of each applicant’s file, including scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language, if needed, grade point average, letters of recommendation, résumé, personal statement, transcripts, previous research or work experience, and contributions to the broader impacts of the field. Only the most qualified applicants are accepted. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not considered as part of the application file and applicants are not advantaged in the admissions process by submitting GRE scores. All applications received by the applicable deadline are reviewed holistically. The number of students admitted each semester depends on the availability of supervising faculty members to provide research facilities and possible financial support. Students are admitted for doctoral study. Students interested in a terminal master's degree are required to obtain faculty nomination before applying. Admission is offered for fall entry only.

Admission into the Doctor of Medicine/Master of Science in Engineering dual degree program is only open to current Dell Medical Students.  Admission into the integrated Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering/Master of Science in Engineering degree is only open to current biomedical engineering undergraduate students at The University of Texas at Austin.

All applicants whose native language is not English must submit a score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), unless exempt. More information is given online.

Chemical Engineering

Students with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering usually fulfill requirements for consideration for admission.

Students with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline, such as chemistry, physics, other engineering sciences, and natural sciences, must have a background the department considers satisfactory for the study of advanced chemical engineering. A strong background will have included courses in math (including calculus and differential equations), vector physics, and ideally some courses that cover the topics of thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, and chemical kinetics.

Apart from the requirements of the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the department has no set criteria for admission. Applications are viewed holistically based GPA, research experience, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. We view each of these categories as important and the admission committee ranks applications according to these metrics.

Civil Engineering

A Bachelor of Science degree from a program in engineering accredited by ABET is the general prerequisite for admission to a graduate program in civil engineering. An applicant whose training does not meet this prerequisite may be accepted but will be required to pass a sequence of courses stipulated by the Graduate Studies Committee that will make up the deficiencies in undergraduate preparation. A list of the required courses is available from the graduate advisor.

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Admission to the graduate programs in ECE is highly competitive and based on a holistic review of all application materials by the chosen academic track’s admission committee, which is composed of faculty within that track. Standards for admission generally exceed the minimum standards established by the University. The Chandra Family Department of ECE neither requires nor considers GRE scores in the selection of students for admission.

Applicants to the graduate program of the Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering normally will have an undergraduate degree in this field. Applicants with a degree in another field also may be considered if their background is appropriate for the chosen area of specialization. However, if admitted, the student may be required to complete additional coursework (outside their Program of Work, discussed below) to address any academic deficiencies. Another exception exists for students in the Integrated BSECE/MSE program who receive their BSECE and MSE degrees simultaneously.

Graduate students in the Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering are expected to be proficient in English. An applicant who does not meet the English proficiency standards of the University may be admitted, but then may be required to complete a three-hour English course. The course is counted toward the student’s course load for the semester but is not counted toward the fulfillment of course requirements for the graduate degree.

Materials Science and Engineering

Students with a bachelor’s degree in engineering or in one of the physical sciences may be admitted to the materials science and engineering degree program upon the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee. Students who do not have a background that the committee considers satisfactory for the study of advanced materials science and engineering will be required to take preparatory coursework, some of which may be at the undergraduate level. Completion of some coursework may be required before the student begins the work for the graduate degree.

Mechanical Engineering

To enter the graduate program in mechanical engineering, a student should have an undergraduate degree in engineering or in an equivalent quantitative field of study. Students who do not meet this requirement may have to take additional courses at the discretion of the graduate advisor. Admission to the integrated Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Master of Science in Engineering (BSME/MSE) program is only open to current Mechanical Engineering undergraduate students.

Operations Research and Industrial Engineering

The Admission Committee uses the following policies in considering applicants for admission. Each application is reviewed on its merits.

1. Applicants must provide a Graduate Record Examinations General Test (GRE) score no more than five years old. The applicant should have a grade point average in upper-division undergraduate coursework of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale, or the equivalent. Students who feel that their GRE scores and grades do not reflect their ability to do high-quality graduate work should submit a statement explaining this belief.
2. Both the master’s and the doctoral degree program are designed for full-time study, but part-time students are accepted. From the time of entry until completion, students are expected to show evidence of commitment to the program and of progress toward the degree.
3. As a general rule, students should enter the program in the fall semester, because of the way basic graduate courses are scheduled.
4. Students who do not have undergraduate degrees in engineering, mathematics, or the sciences may be required to remove deficiencies before beginning graduate coursework.

Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering

All prospective degree candidates must have a background satisfactory for study of advanced petroleum and geosystems engineering as determined by the Graduate Studies Committee. For students without this background, such as those without degrees in engineering or in the petroleum-related fields, the Graduate Studies Committee will recommend a program of coursework designed to prepare the student for graduate study. Complete requirements for admission are available online. 

Objectives

Chemical Engineering

Upon graduation, those who earn advanced chemical engineering degrees are expected to

1. Become leading professionals who advance chemical engineering practice and knowledge in multiple fields, such as energy, materials, environmental and systems engineering, electronics, biotechnology, human health, and education;
2. Continue to educate themselves as their needs, interests, and circumstances dictate;
3. Become ethical and productive engineers, who recognize and acknowledge the local and global impacts of engineering technology on humans and the environment.

Civil Engineering

The objectives of the graduate program in civil engineering are excellence in engineering education, research, and professional service. The program seeks to educate students to assume leadership positions in engineering practice, research, and education. The program also seeks to advance the state of the art and of the practice of civil engineering at both fundamental and applied levels through extensive research programs, and to disseminate the research outcomes through professional and scholarly activities. The program’s thematic areas include architectural engineering, construction engineering and project management, construction materials, environmental and water resources engineering, geotechnical engineering, ocean engineering, structural engineering, and transportation engineering, as well as interdisciplinary areas of study.

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The objective of the faculty of the Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and its Graduate Studies Committee is to provide a graduate program that continues to produce exceptional graduates via an education that is both broad and deep and access to world-class research facilities while advancing the state of the art within diverse subfields spanning electrical and computer engineering.

Engineering Management

The core objective of the engineering management program is to provide engineers who have chosen to pursue leadership and management career paths with the tools and education that will most directly support their success. The goal of the degree program is to provide engineering professionals with a solid foundation to help them continue lifelong learning while employed in industry. Additional objectives include teaching students about managing technical, business, and human performance processes in order to achieve corporate goals; to develop and learn core business fundamentals in areas including economics, negotiations, analytics, operations management, marketing, and decision analysis and risk assessment; and to provide an understanding of marketing risks associated with new products, financing a new venture, and legal issues associated with a new project or product. 

Engineering Mechanics

The objectives of the program are to enable the student to attain a deeper understanding of engineering mechanics fundamentals, a knowledge of recent developments, and the ability as a master’s degree student to participate in research and as a doctoral degree student to conduct individual research. The goals are accomplished through coursework, seminars, and active research programs.

Materials Science and Engineering

This program is designed to educate materials scientists and engineers, to develop new knowledge, and to solve problems related to the synthesis, processing, characterization, and application of materials.

Operations Research and Industrial Engineering

Operations research is a mathematical science concerned with optimal decision making and the modeling of deterministic and probabilistic systems. Its focus and field of application are interdisciplinary, embracing a broad range of quantitative techniques. Industrial engineering is concerned with the design, improvement, and installation of integrated systems of personnel, material, and equipment. Together, operations research and industrial engineering provide a rational approach to engineering and managerial problem solving through the deliberate application of scientific methods.

In practice, operations research and industrial engineering address both the performance objectives and the resource constraints of an organization, working toward the establishment of policies that are most beneficial to the organization as a whole. The function of the operations research analyst or the industrial engineer is to guide decision making by identifying underlying cause-and-effect relationships, developing and proposing courses of action, establishing criteria by which to judge their effectiveness, and evaluating their probable effects. The program in operations research and industrial engineering is designed to allow students to develop the technical, analytic, and managerial skills necessary to perform these tasks successfully.

The principal goals of the program are to provide the student with the educational basis for continued learning and to impart the fundamental skills necessary to be a successful analyst. Students are expected to develop proficiency in one or more programming languages, expertise in mathematical modeling, and an understanding of the uses and limitations of commercial optimization and statistical software. The master’s degree program balances theory and applications. At the doctoral level, the program’s emphasis on research is intended to enable students to extend their field of knowledge and to develop the analytic techniques that will serve them in academic, industrial, or governmental careers.

Semiconductor Science and Engineering

The objective of this graduate degree program is to develop graduate students that have a deep understanding of the science of semiconductors and how to engineer and manufacture devices and systems around these core disciplines. Students will also be trained to investigate their own research projects to help them become team leaders and innovators in corporations that have semiconductor-centric applications. Linkage between fundamental science, engineering disciplines and research is a focus for this degree. Graduates of the program will be well prepared to work across varied disciplines involved and help overcome the inherent challenges faced by the semiconductor industry today. 

Graduate Studies Committees

The following faculty members served on the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) in the spring 2026 semester.

Aerospace Engineering

Maruthi R Akella Efstathios Bakolas Srinivas V Bettadpur Fabrizio Bisetti Tan Thanh Bui Ethan R Burnett Jesse L Chan Jingyi Chen John-Paul Clarke Noel T Clemens Clinton N Dawson Leszek F Demkowicz Thinh Doan John Timothy Foster David Fridovich-Keil Jan Fuhg David B Goldstein Patrick Heimbach Rui Huang Thomas J Hughes Todd E Humphreys Moriba Jah

Brandon A Jones Stelios Kyriakides Chad Matthew Landis Kenneth M Liechti Hannah Lu Nanshu Lu Lori A Magruder Mark E Mear Luke T Peterson Laxminarayan L Raja Manuel Karl Rausch Krishnaswa Ravi-Chandar Ryan P Russell Luis Sentis Puneet Singh Jayant Sirohi Ufuk Topcu Thomas Carlton Underwood Philip L Varghese Karen E Willcox Jin Yang Renato Zanetti

Biomedical Engineering

Deji Akinwande Farshid Alambeigi Chandrajit L Bajaj Aaron Blair Baker Adela Ben-Yakar Amy Brock Adam Bush Edward Castillo Joshua Tsukang Chang Ray T Chen Lydia Maria Contreras Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez Zhengrong Cui Kevin N Dalby Daniel James Dickinson Kenneth R Diller Andrew K Dunn Andrew Ellington Lief Fenno Nicholas P Fey Ilya J Finkelstein George Georgiou Debadyuti Ghosh Joydeep Ghosh Vernita Gordon Ted Ho Ken Hsu Hyun Jung Kim Nanshu Lu Yi Lu Edward M Marcotte Mia K Markey Alexander Marras

Jennifer A Maynard Jose del R Millan Nuttada Panpradist Sapun Harshad Parekh Nicholas A Peppas Tyrone Porter Chad Chad Quarles Manuel Karl Rausch Gregory Paul Reece Pengyu Ren Christopher G Rylander Henry G Rylander III Marissa N Rylander Michael S Sacks Samantha Rose Santacruz Stephanie K Seidlits Li Shi Hugh D Smyth Jeanne Casstevens Stachowiak Laura J Suggs Charles Taylor Maryam Tilton James W Tunnell Jonathan W Valvano Umberto Emanuele Villa Huiliang Wang Jin Yang Thomas Yankeelov Hsin-Chih Yeh Qian Yin Yuebing Zheng Janeta Zoldan

Chemical Engineering

David T Allen Hal S Alper Michael Baldea Brian Belardi Roger T Bonnecaze Joan F Brennecke James R Chelikowsky Lydia Maria Contreras John G Ekerdt Robert B Eldridge Benny D Freeman Venkat Ganesan George Georgiou Lea Hildebrandt Ruiz Gyeong S Hwang Keith P Johnston Benjamin Keith Keitz Brian A Korgel Manish Kumar Jason Lavinder Yi Lu

Nathaniel Lynd Arumugam Manthiram Jennifer A Maynard Delia Milliron Ilias Mitrai Charles B Mullins Annalee Whitefield Nguyen Zachariah Allen Page Nicholas A Peppas Joaquin Resasco Gary T Rochelle Adrianne M Rosales Amaresh Sahu Gabriel Sanoja Mukul M Sharma Jeanne Casstevens Stachowiak Mark A Stadtherr Thomas M Truskett Wennie Wang Kent Zheng

Civil Engineering

David T Allen Matthew David Bartos Oguzhan Bayrak Amit Bhasin Chandra R Bhat Stephen Boyles Carlos H Caldas Sergio Castellanos Alexandra Clara Saracho Christian Claudel C Tyler Dick Berkin Dortdivanlioglu Chadi Said El Mohtar Michael D Engelhardt Ofodike A Ezekoye Kasey M Faust Anca-Cristina Ferche Raissa Patricia Ferron Andrew Fix Kevin J Folliard Xavi Fonoll-Almansa Benny D Freeman Courtney Gardner Robert B Gilbert Zhaomiao Guo Matt Hebdon Todd A Helwig Ben R Hodges Blair Johnson Maria Juenger Loukas F Kallivokas Lynn E Katz Spyridon A Kinnas Kerry A Kinney

Mary Jo Kirisits Kara Kockelman Krishna Kumar Manish Kumar Desmond F Lawler Jun-Whan Lee Fernanda Leite Howard M Liljestrand Randy B Machemehl Lance Manuel Pawel Misztal Javad Mohammadi Dev Niyogi Atila Novoselac William J O'Brien Jon E Olson Othman Oudghiri-Idrissi Paola Passalacqua Jorge A Prozzi Ellen M Rathje Christopher Rausch Salvatore Salamone Navid Saleh Polina Sela Kamy Sepehrnoori Gerald E Speitel Jr Kenneth H Stokoe II Eric van Oort C Michael Walton Michael Webber Charles J Werth Eric B Williamson Yunlan Zhang Jorge G Zornberg

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Deji Akinwande Jeffrey G Andrews Chandrajit L Bajaj Jonathan Baker Sanjay K Banerjee Seth Robert Bank Suzanne Barber Adela Ben-Yakar Alan C Bovik David Patrick Burghoff Constantine Caramanis Ray T Chen Lillian Chin Sandeep Chinchali Kaushik Chowdhury Shwetadwip Chowdhury Michael Arthur Cullinan Poulami Das Gustavo A De Veciana Inderjit S Dhillon Georgios-Alex Dimakis Ananth Dodabalapur Andrew K Dunn Mattan Erez Brian L Evans D Emma Fan Linran Fan David Fridovich-Keil Donald S Fussell Emanuele Galiffi Vijay K Garg Andreas Gerstlauer Joydeep Ghosh Milos Gligoric Kristen L Grauman Cheng Guo Neal Hall Mark F Hamilton Alex Hanson Qin Huang Todd E Humphreys Warren A Hunt Jr Jean Incorvia Yaoyao Jia Lizy K John Brian Johnson Sarfraz Khurshid Hyeji Kim Jaydeep Prakash Kulkarni Jessy Li

Sensen Li Xiuling Li Calvin Lin Nanshu Lu Ruochen Lu Diana Marculescu Radu Marculescu Mia K Markey Jose del R Millan Javad Mohammadi Aryan Mokhtari Michael E Orshansky Zhigang Pan Yale N Patt Keshav K Pingali Leonard F Register Christopher J Rossbach Sujay Sanghavi Samantha Rose Santacruz Surya Santoso Luis Sentis Sanjay Shakkottai Shyam Shankar August Wang Shi David Soloveichik S V Sreenivasan Peter H Stone Earl E Swartzlander Jr Jon I Tamir Edison Thomaz Jr Mohit Tiwari Ufuk Topcu Nur A Touba James W Tunnell Emanuel Tutuc Jonathan W Valvano Haris Vikalo Atlas Wang Jun Wang Rachel A Ward Daniel M Wasserman Preston S Wilson Fangzhou Xia Neeraja Jayant Yadwadkar Edward T Yu Amy Zhang Neil Zhao Hao Zhu Yicheng Zhu

Engineering Management

Caroline A Bartel J Eric Bickel Richard H Crawford

John A Daly John J Hasenbein

Engineering Mechanics

Tan Thanh Bui Ethan R Burnett Jesse L Chan Clinton N Dawson Leszek F Demkowicz Berkin Dortdivanlioglu John Timothy Foster Jan Fuhg Rui Huang Thomas J Hughes Loukas F Kallivokas Stelios Kyriakides Chad Matthew Landis

Kenneth M Liechti Hannah Lu Nanshu Lu Mark E Mear Luke T Peterson Manuel Karl Rausch Krishnaswa Ravi-Chandar Gregory J Rodin Michael S Sacks Puneet Singh Jayant Sirohi Karen E Willcox Jin Yang

Materials Science and Engineering

Deji Akinwande Narayana R Aluru Jose R Alvarado Sanjay K Banerjee Seth Robert Bank Chih-Hao Chang Jonathan Yan Chen Ray T Chen Zhantao Chen Michael Arthur Cullinan Ananth Dodabalapur D Emma Fan Juan Guan Graeme Andrew Henkelman Rui Huang Tanya Hutter Gyeong S Hwang Jean Incorvia Keith P Johnston Hadi Khani Joseph Hong Yui Koo Brian A Korgel Desiderio Kovar Wei Li Xiaoqin Li Xiuling Li Kenneth M Liechti Jung-Fu Lin Yijin Liu Yuanyue Liu Nanshu Lu

Filippo Mangolini Arumugam Manthiram Alexander Marras David Mitlin Kishore Mohanty Charles B Mullins Zachariah Allen Page Andrea D Pickel Hang Ren Devleena Samanta Li Shi Chih-Kang Shih Donald Jason Siegel Wen Song S V Sreenivasan Venkat Subramanian Eric M Taleff Huiliang Wang Wennie Wang Yaguo Wang Jamie Warner Daniel M Wasserman Jin Yang Hsin-Chih Yeh Qian Yin Edward T Yu Guihua Yu Yunlan Zhang Kent Zheng Yuebing Zheng Jianshi Zhou

Mechanical Engineering

Farshid Alambeigi Narayana R Aluru Vaibhav Bahadur Jonathan F Bard Joseph J Beaman Jr Adela Ben-Yakar J Eric Bickel George Biros David G Bogard Raghu Bollapragada Maura Borrego Chih-Hao Chang William S Charlton Dongmei Chen Zhantao Chen Lillian Chin Leah Chong Kevin Clarno Richard H Crawford Michael Arthur Cullinan Ashish Deshpande Dragan Djurdjanovic Janet L Ellzey Ofodike A Ezekoye Eric P Fahrenthold D Emma Fan Nicholas P Fey Andrew Fix Omar Ghattas Derek A Haas Michael Richard Haberman Matthew J Hall Neal Hall Mark F Hamilton John J Hasenbein Robert E Hebner Tanya Hutter Hadi Khani Dale E Klein Desiderio Kovar Erhan Kutanoglu Sheldon Landsberger Benjamin D Leibowicz

Wei Li Yijin Liu Yuanyue Liu Raul G Longoria Nanshu Lu Ann Majewicz Fey Filippo Mangolini Arumugam Manthiram Alexander Marras Ronnie D Matthews David Mitlin Robert D Moser Richard R Neptune Andrea D Pickel Mitchell W Pryor Varun Rai Manuel Karl Rausch Christopher G Rylander Marissa N Rylander Michael S Sacks Salvatore Salamone Anastasia Schauer Carolyn Conner Seepersad Zhenghui Sha Li Shi Donald Jason Siegel S V Sreenivasan Venkat Subramanian Eric M Taleff Maryam Tilton Eric van Oort Junmin Wang Yaguo Wang Jamie Warner Michael Webber Preston S Wilson Fangzhou Xia Jin Yang Guihua Yu Elena Maria Zannoni Yuebing Zheng Jianshi Zhou

Operations Research and Industrial Engineering

Jonathan F Bard J Eric Bickel Raghu Bollapragada Stephen Boyles Constantine Caramanis Dragan Djurdjanovic John J Hasenbein

Erhan Kutanoglu Benjamin D Leibowicz Lauren A Meyers Purnamrita Sarkar Peter H Stone Hairong Wang

Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering

Matthew Thomas Balhoff Hugh C Daigle Mojdeh Delshad David DiCarlo David N Espinoza John Timothy Foster Zoya Heidari Larry W Lake Yingda Lu Kishore Mohanty Quoc Phuc Nguyen Ryosuke Okuno

Jon E Olson Masa Prodanovic Michael Pyrcz Arvind P Ravikumar Kamy Sepehrnoori Mukul M Sharma Wen Song Hewei Tang Carlos Torres-Verdin Eric van Oort Mary F Wheeler

Semiconductor Science and Engineering

Deji Akinwande Michael Aubrey Vaibhav Bahadur Edoardo Baldini Sanjay K Banerjee Seth Robert Bank Chih-Hao Chang Ray T Chen Michael Arthur Cullinan Alexander A Demkov Dragan Djurdjanovic Ananth Dodabalapur Mattan Erez Andreas Gerstlauer Feliciano Giustino Graeme Andrew Henkelman Qin Huang Tanya Hutter Yaoyao Jia Lizy K John

Brian A Korgel Jaydeep Prakash Kulkarni Sensen Li Xiuling Li Ruochen Lu Nathaniel Lynd Charles B Mullins Michael E Orshansky Zhigang Pan Leonard F Register Hang Ren Sean Thomas Roberts Shyam Shankar S V Sreenivasan Earl E Swartzlander Jr Emanuel Tutuc Yaguo Wang Jamie Warner Edward T Yu

Facilities

The Cockrell School of Engineering has an outstanding research and teaching facilities on the main campus and at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus. Details are given below.

Aerospace Engineering

Aerothermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics

Facilities include Mach 2 and Mach 5 blowdown wind tunnels, a 50kw inductively coupled plasma torch, a 15" × 20" water channel, a laser sensor laboratory, combustion facilities, a plasma engineering laboratory, and extensive laser and camera systems for advanced flow diagnostics. Excellent computational facilities include a variety of workstations, and access to very-large-scale, high-performance computers at the Texas Advanced Computing Center.

Orbital Mechanics

Research is supported by a large database of satellite remote sensing measurements, state-of-the-art high performance computing resources, GPS receivers, and image processing equipment.

Solids, Structures, and Materials

Experimental facilities include equipment for static structural testing; digital data acquisition equipment; uniaxial and biaxial materials-testing machines; custom loading devices; environmental chambers; microscopes; photomechanics facilities; composites processing equipment; facilities for microstructural analysis; and high-speed imaging and high-strain-rate mechanical testing facilities. Computing facilities include workstations, high-performance computers, and networks of workstations.

Structural Dynamics

Computational and experimental facilities include high-performance shared- and distributed-memory multiprocessor systems, actuators, sensors, balances, and data-acquisition systems for structural testing, system identification, and control. Facilities for testing aeroelastic models on a whirl test stand or in a wind tunnel are also available.

Biomedical Engineering

The Department of Biomedical Engineering has offices and laboratories in the Biomedical Engineering Building, completed in 2008, and laboratories in the Engineering and Education Resource Center, completed in 2017. Research is also conducted in the Dell Medical School, at partner institutions in Houston such as the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Students have access to facilities for research in biochemical and protein engineering, cell and tissue engineering, gene therapy, cell-electronic interfaces and nanostructure engineering, cell biomechanics, whole-body biomechanics and gait analysis, thermal engineering, optical spectroscopy and imaging, ultrasound imaging, laser-tissue interactions, image processing, biosignal analysis and computer graphics, protein bioinformatics, functional genomics, biomimetics, protein modeling, and computational disease diagnosis.

In addition to individual research laboratories, a number of core facilities are available for research at the medical school campuses. The following are located on The University of Texas at Austin campus:

Institute for Biomaterials, Drug Delivery, and Regenerative Medicine

The institute provides a focal point for impactful activities in research, education, and service in biomaterials, Drug Delivery, and regenerative medicine—key areas to transforming health care. Areas of focus are cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases, diabetes, and infections and autoimmune diseases. More information provided online.

Center for Emerging Imaging Technologies

The CEIT brings together basic and clinical scientists, engineers, and physicians from medical centers within Texas, building on strengths in optical imaging, biomedical optics, ultrasound, and image processing to create novel imaging approaches for understanding basic biological processes as well as clinical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The center fosters collaborative research at the interface of chemical, physical, mathematics, engineering, and life sciences. Areas of focus are imaging contrast agents, image processing, modeling and informatics, and clinical translation of imaging techniques and therapeutics. More information provided online.

Willerson Center for Cardiovascular Modeling and Simulation

The overarching goal of the WCCMS is developing computational biomechanical models for understanding the heart valve and heart disease progression for developing clinical interventions, including prosthetic devices. The Center develops or utilizes a range of unique in-vivo and in-vitro data for elucidating mechanisms that underlie the observed pathologies. The Center ultimately seeks to provide cardiovascular scientists and clinicians with advanced simulations for the rational development of treatments for structural heart and valve diseases. More information provided online.

Center for Computational Oncology

As our knowledge of cancer grows, there is a desperate need to make real connections between those designing clinical trials and those studying mathematical models of tumor growth and treatment response so that the field of theoretical oncology can provide systematic, testable predictions of the response of individual patients to individual therapeutic regimens. The long-term goal of the CCO is to build a testable, mathematical theory of cancer. Cancer biologists could use such a theory to discover new biology, while oncologists could select the most promising treatment for an individual patient in a systematic fashion. More information provided online.

Center for Biomedical Research Support Core Facilities

The Center for Biomedical Research Support (CBRS) provides access to cutting-edge technology and expert advice to enhance research. Core facilities include the Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility, the Biomedical Imaging Center, the Computational Biology and Bioinformatics core facility, Cryo-Electron Microscopy, the Genomic Sequencing and Analysis Facility, Microscopy and Flow Cytometry, and Mouse Genetic Engineering Facility. More information is given online.

Texas Materials Institute and Center for Nano and Molecular Science and Technology Core Facilities

The Texas Materials Institute (TMI) maintains core facilities in electron microscopy, surface analysis, polymer characterization, and X-ray scattering. The Center for Nano and Molecular Science and Technology (CNM) is a multidisciplinary, collaborative research center focused on several emerging areas of research. A multidepartmental effort of the College of Natural Sciences and the Cockrell School of Engineering, CNM houses extensive shared user facilities, including a picosecond fluorescence lifetime spectrometer/microscope; an FTIR spectrometer; a near-field scanning optical microscope; organic thin film fabrication equipment; beam lithography systems; a molecular force probe microscope; a transmission electron microscope; and a time-correlated single photon counting facility.

Animal Resources Center Facilities

The Animal Resources Center (ARC) is a 14,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility in which animal surgical procedures are performed. A separate building houses transgenic and knock-out animals. The facility is fully staffed and equipped in compliance with NIH and AAALAC guidelines for accreditation. Available are animal operating rooms, support staff, equipment for preparing tissue specimens, and veterinary consultation for both animal husbandry and surgery.

Computer and Computational Facilities

All research groups maintain computers for use by their graduate students, and each academic unit has one or more core computer facilities. The University also has core computer user facilities across campus. Extensive computing facilities are available to faculty members and students, including the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC). TACC's comprehensive advanced computing resources include high performance computing (HPC) systems of a variety of architectures to enable larger simulations analyses and faster computation times than are possible using computers available to individual researchers, academic departments, and research centers and institutes; advanced scientific visualization (SciVis) resources including computing systems with high performance graphics hardware, large displays, and immersive environments, and high-end post-production facilities to enable large data analysis and promote knowledge discovery; and massive data storage/archival systems to house the vast quantities of data that result from performing simulations on HPC systems and developing visualizations of large data sets.

Library Facilities

The University has outstanding library facilities, including a general collection of 2.5 million volumes in the Perry-Castañeda Library and topical collections in specialized libraries like the Mallet Chemistry Library, the McKinney Engineering Library, and the Life Sciences Library.

Chemical Engineering

The McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering contains laboratories, offices, and all facilities necessary for research and instruction. Research is conducted in the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Building and across Main Campus, and also at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus. Excellent library facilities include the Mallet Chemistry Library, the McKinney Engineering Library, and the Kuehne Physics Mathematics Astronomy Library.

The extensive computer facilities available for graduate student research include more than one hundred microcomputers and workstations in the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Building as well as super computing facilities in the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Computer graphics capabilities are available. State-of-the-art analytical instrumentation, located within the department and in other departments, is available for use by chemical engineering graduate students.

The department enjoys close relations with the chemical, petroleum, and materials processing industries. A number of cooperative research projects are carried out with the support of private companies. A substantial portion of the graduate student research is supported through federal grants and contracts.

Civil Engineering

The Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering occupies eight floors in Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall, which also houses computer facilities for use by civil engineering students. In addition, the facilities of Information Technology Services are available to students working on problems in any of the areas listed below. Laboratories are equipped and staffed to provide for both instruction and research.

Building Energy and Environments

The Building Energy and Environments program investigates a wide range of issues related to building environments and environmental systems. The program research focuses on energy flows and conservation methods; building energy efficiency; environmental control systems; moisture transport and control; indoor microbial growth and fate; sources of VOCs, SVOCs, and particles; homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions; transport of indoor pollutants; and human exposure. Beside taking coursework in other areas of civil engineering and in other departments, students have a chance to specialize in building environmental systems and various aspect of indoor environmental quality. The diverse faculty, with expertise ranging from environmental, architectural, and mechanical engineering, offers a large variety of graduate courses that address different aspects of indoor air quality and energy efficiency of building environmental systems. This provides students with a unique opportunity to receive both the depth and breadth of knowledge necessary to design and maintain truly sustainable buildings. Students, faculty, and staff within the Building Energy and Environments Group conduct their research in academic laboratories equipped with cutting-edge instrumentation and simulation systems. The research activities take place in laboratories at the Center for Energy and Environmental Resources at the University of Texas’ J. J. Pickle Research Campus. Five separate laboratories totaling 6,000 square feet are devoted to building energy and environments research on the J. J. Pickle Research Campus. These laboratories are used for experiments using physical simulation systems, preparation for field studies, instrumentation calibration and maintenance, and analysis of samples collected in the field or in laboratory. The laboratories contain a wide range of instruments and facilities and among the physical simulation systems are a 1,200-square-foot test house, three full scale test rooms with state-of-the-art environment control systems, a variety of small chambers for testing emissions from building materials, human simulators such as a thermal manikin with breathing systems, and a family of wind tunnels for testing various components of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC).

Construction Engineering and Project Management

The construction laboratories include a well-equipped computer cluster on the main campus and a high-bay laboratory for construction automation research at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus. Software includes three-dimensional computer-assisted drafting and modeling packages, statistical packages, construction project management software, discrete modeling and simulation packages, advanced communication hardware, and software developed through research. The program also has access to the Texas Advanced Computing Center Visualization Laboratory, which makes available various world-leading research and teaching infrastructure such as a 307 Mpixel display and a large-scale, tiled display supporting 32-point multi-touch for collaborative manipulation. Students also benefit from the many facilities under construction on campus and in the surrounding community as living laboratories for class visits and research studies.

Infrastructure Materials Engineering

The graduate program in infrastructure materials engineering emphasizes the characterization and testing of materials such as asphalt, cement, aggregates, concrete, steel, masonry, wood, polymers, and composites.  Research and coursework focus on the materials science, property development, field performance, durability, forensics, and repair of infrastructure materials. The Laboratory for Infrastructure Materials Engineering (LIME) is located at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus. Excellent facilities are available for proportioning and batching concrete, mechanical testing, and durability testing, including both accelerated tests and outdoor exposure sites. The laboratory has the capability to perform a wide range of materials tests, including freezing and thawing, alkali-silica reaction, shrinkage, creep, aggregate characterization, rapid chloride, and corrosion evaluation. Microscopes, x-ray diffraction, thermal analysis instrumentation, and rheometers are also available. The Infrastructure Materials Performance and Characterization (IMPACT) laboratory is located in Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall and is dedicated to the characterization and testing of asphalt binders and mixtures. The lab includes facilities to synthesize different asphalt binders, fabricate test specimens and evaluate them under a variety of different temperature and loading rate conditions.  In addition to the above labs, students also take advantage of central facilities such as UTCT for X-ray CT and Texas Materials Institute for materials investigation using tools such as gel permeation chromatograph, atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope etc.

Environmental and Water Resources Engineering 

This program is designed to educate engineers who will solve environmental and water resources problems by applying concepts of sustainability and fundamental principles from the natural sciences, mathematics, mechanics, economics, and other underlying disciplines. To achieve this objective, the program offers a breadth of possible research and study areas. The faculty is one of the largest and most diverse in the nation, with expertise ranging from environmental fluid mechanics to water resources planning and from pollutant transport to treatment processes. The major areas of emphasis are treatment process engineering, air resources engineering, environmental remediation, water quality, water resources engineering, and ocean engineering. Because the program requires no specific courses, each student’s education can be designed to meet their goals. The faculty offers a wide variety of courses, and students may choose courses in other related fields, such as chemical engineering, chemistry, geology, mathematics, microbiology, petroleum engineering, physics, and public policy. Once students choose a particular study area, they work closely with the faculty member or members conducting research in that area. Each student’s program of study includes a balanced combination of coursework, seminars, and research. Well-equipped research laboratories, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and superb computation facilities support the graduate program, as do cooperation and coordination with research faculties and laboratories in physical, chemical, biological, and social sciences and other engineering disciplines.

Facilities

Environmental and water resources engineering laboratories are well-equipped for both basic and applied state-of-the-art research in virtually all environmental and water resources areas. On campus, the program has twenty thousand square feet of space on three floors of Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall for physical, chemical, and biological analyses and for research on water, wastewater, and hazardous waste treatment processes. Facilities include a clean room for metal or particulate analysis, four laboratories with temperature and humidity control, numerous hoods for the safe handling of hazardous chemicals and biological samples, and an instrumentation laboratory for characterization of analysis of environmental samples in air, water, and soil matrices. Additional analytical equipment is available in other departments on the main campus.

The Computational Hydrodynamics Laboratory in Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall has a high-performance computer cluster (16 nodes of eight cores each, Intel Xeon E5420 processors). This cluster provides the necessary platform for solving nonlinear flow problems about complex hull and/or propulsor geometries (involving cavities or free surfaces), and for developing algorithms for the design of efficient propeller or tidal turbine blades using nonlinear optimization techniques.

The Program in Air Resources Engineering maintains 5,000-square-feet of laboratory space in five laboratories at the Center for Energy and Environmental Resources. These laboratories also include facilities for studying outdoor sources of volatile organic compounds and indoor sources and sinks of volatile chemicals. A wide range of instrumentation is available for field monitoring in both indoor and outdoor environments. The Center for Energy and Environmental Resources also maintains extensive computational resources for air quality modeling and energy and climate change research.

The Center for Research in Water Resources is located at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus. Computational research focuses on applications of geographic information systems using ArcInfo and ArcView, simulation of pollutants in soil and groundwater, and assembly and synthesis of historical water quantity and quality information. The experimental research uses scaled physical models, models of innovative wastewater treatment facilities, and field monitoring of water quality. The 24,000-square-foot laboratory includes general- and special-purpose fixed and tilting channels and instrumentation and data acquisition systems for laboratory and field studies.

Geotechnical Engineering

This program is designed to offer students a broad range of activities with a solid basis in the core areas of geotechnical engineering. Graduates receive a strong background in the basics through courses in geotechnical engineering, which offer the foundation for a successful professional career. In addition, the program exposes students to research activities that are at the forefront of developments in the field.

The geotechnical engineering laboratories are located in the Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall and at the Pickle Research Campus. The laboratories include modern workstations for conducting standard geotechnical tests, including index tests, flexible wall permeameter tests, one-dimensional and triaxial consolidation, direct shear tests, and triaxial shear tests.

The soil dynamics laboratory has extensive facilities for combined resonant column and torsional shear testing. Large-scale multimode equipment is available for dynamic laboratory testing with specimens up to 0.3 meters in diameter. The geosynthetics laboratory includes tensile testing devices, a large-scale pullout testing device, large-scale time-temperature testing equipment, as well as specialized interface shear tensile devices. The unsaturated soils laboratory includes pressure plate testing devices, hanging columns, infiltration column systems, and multiple calibration chambers.

The ground improvement/pore fluid engineering research laboratories include one cyclic direct simple shear and one cyclic triaxial device; both devices can be run under static/cyclic loading with stress/strain complete servo control. Special setups for testing grouted soils, including static triaxial setups, are available as well. The laboratories have an advanced rheometer than can measure the engineering properties of fluids, suspensions, and gels. The facilities also include a multi-use dynamic/static (MUDS) testing setup that consists of a shaking table with a laminar box mounted on top of it. The MUDS testing setup allows for running 1-D 1-g free top shaking table tests on large specimens (1m x 0.5m x 0.5m with shaking along the 1m direction). The setup allows for running large scale static and cyclic simple shear tests as well as direct shear tests at confining stresses up to 200 kPa.

The rock mechanics laboratory is equipped to carry out uniaxial and triaxial tests with confinement of up to 70 MPa and with the possibility of controlling the pore pressure up to 70 MPa; and direct shear tests both in stiffness control and in load control; all of the above equipment is completely servocontrolled, and any sensor may be used to program the tests. Additional rock testing capabilities include: slake durability, point load, Brazilian (indirect tensile), Cerchar, brittleness, Sievers’ J, abrasion value (on rock and soil), rebound hardness (Schmidt Hammer), pulse velocity and dynamic elastic constants, swelling, unit weight, porosity, and water content.

The centrifuge laboratory includes a high G-level centrifuge permeameter that was developed with the specific objective of expediting the measurement of the hydraulic characteristics of soils. It includes a water flow control system and an in-flight data acquisition system capable of collecting data under accelerations in excess of 500 Gs. In-flight instrumentation includes systems suitable to measure the infiltration rate (flow pump and outflow transducer), volumetric water content (time domain reflectometry), matric suction (tensiometers), and volumetric changes (displacement transducers). A small prototype centrifuge is also available in the laboratory for hydraulic testing of soil samples.

For model studies of foundation systems, two large test tanks are available together with loading and tracking systems to install, monitor, and load a variety of foundation types. Equipment available for field measurement programs includes fiber optical strain gauges, inclinometers, and time domain reflectometry moisture probes.

A large-scale calibration chamber is available for testing 2.1-meter cubical samples under three-dimensional states of stress for dynamic, cyclic, and static conditions. A second calibration chamber is available for testing in situ tools and model foundations. For dynamic field testing, the program has a broad array of equipment for measuring in situ stress wave velocities using borehole and surface wave methods, as well as vane, cone, and dilatometer devices. A vibroseis truck, which is capable of applying static, cyclic, and dynamic loads up to fifty thousand pounds, is available for field measurements at geotechnical, foundation, and pavement sites. Three hydraulic shakers, field instrumentation, and teleparticipation equipment are available to the department as a participant in the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES).

Mechanics, Uncertainty, and Simulation in Engineering (MUSE)

The graduate program in MUSE aims at preparing students to address the increasingly complex engineering problems modern societies face, through multi-disciplinary training rooted in applied mechanics, applied mathematics, and computational modeling. Students are expected to take courses reflective of the interdisciplinary character of the program.

Graduate students pursuing a thesis-option Master of Science degree or doctoral studies are exposed to the program’s research activities. Current research endeavors focus on model-based simulation of challenging multi-physics and multi-disciplinary engineering problems. Examples include the modeling of the dynamic response of structures; performance of structures in the offshore environment; structural response under extreme loads (wind, earthquake, hurricane, blast, etc.); soil-structure interaction problems under seismic loads; inverse problems and the non-destructive condition assessment of engineered and natural systems; structural reliability and uncertainty quantification problems; the performance of subsea systems, pipelines, and energy-generating systems such as wind turbines and hydrokinetic devices; the modeling of deterioration and aging processes afflicting the infrastructure; the modeling of material behavior; the propagation of waves and their interactions; and problems in computational engineering. Though the program’s focus derives chiefly from problems affecting the infrastructure and the built environment, our reach goes well beyond as we seek to address bigger societal questions related to energy, natural and man-made disasters, and physical/natural processes at various temporal and spatial scales. Research projects integrate theoretical results and computational modeling with experimental studies, where appropriate.

MUSE graduate students and faculty conduct research using various computational facilities within the department and the University of Texas. These include two computational laboratories within the Ernest Cockrell Junior Building (ECJ): the MUSE laboratory (ECJ 4.602), and the MUSE too laboratory (ECJ 3.301), occupying approximately 1,200 square feet. The two laboratories are equipped with several high-end workstations, including multi-processor and multi-core computers. For research projects demanding supercomputing resources, students and their faculty advisors have access to the Texas Advanced Computing Center’s (TACC) massively parallel systems and visualization resources.

Ocean Engineering

Students interested in ocean engineering and in offshore structures may develop an appropriate course of study in consultation with the faculty. These programs are typically interdisciplinary, including work in hydrodynamics, structural analysis and dynamics, steel design, soils and foundations, and computational methods. Students may also participate in the work of the Offshore Technology Research Center.

Structural Engineering

The graduate program in structural engineering addresses the analysis and design of reinforced and prestressed concrete, timber, steel, masonry, and composite structural systems. Extensive experimental research facilities are available for the observation and study of the behavior of structures under a variety of loadings.

Most of the experimental studies in structural engineering are conducted in the Phil M. Ferguson Structural Engineering Laboratory, located at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus. Ferguson Laboratory is one of the largest, best-equipped structural research facilities in the world. Multistory structures and full-size multigirder bridge structures have been tested. The laboratory contains three test slabs, 40' × 80', 40' × 60', and 30' × 60'. One of the test floors surrounds a 600-kip universal test machine that permits testing full-size plate girders. In addition, a unique three-dimensional test facility consisting of a 44' × 32' test floor, combined with two perpendicular vertical walls, each nineteen feet high, permits three-dimensional loading. Fatigue testing capabilities permit study of full-size components under random amplitude and frequency to simulate actual service conditions. A number of closed-loop servo-controlled loading systems are available. Cables, such as those used in cable-stayed bridges, can be tested in fatigue up to loads of three million pounds in the cable testing facility. A materials-testing facility is also located in the Ferguson Laboratory. For structural fire engineering research, test frames and furnaces are available for elevated temperature tests of structural materials, components, and connections. Data acquisition systems are available that are suitable for static, dynamic, and fatigue loading programs. The systems are controlled by the laboratory’s own computer systems. Direct access to the main University computer facility is also available.

Excellent computational facilities are available to all students in structural engineering in support of both instructional and research activities. These include: 

1. the Civil Engineering Learning Resource Center (LRC), a general-use, 24-hour access facility equipped with more than 150 workstation-class computers ranging from single-core/single-processor to multicore/multiprocessor machines and several dedicated color laser printers, plotters, and flatbed scanners;
2. the Virtual Design Lab, a smaller computational facility equipped with several workstations that provide students with access to the latest suite of high-end CAD and graphics software;
3. a student lounge equipped with computational centers that can be used for team projects; 
4. a graduate student computational laboratory equipped with high-end workstations dedicated to research activities; and 
5. a similarly equipped graduate computational laboratory housed at the Ferguson Structural Engineering Laboratory. In addition, for research demanding supercomputing resources, students and their faculty advisors have access to the Texas Advanced Computing Center’s (TACC) supercomputers, which include Ranger, currently the largest open-science computing system in the world, featuring 62,976 computing nodes, 123 TB of aggregate memory, and peak performance of about 0.5 petaFLOPS. The TACC also provides access to other massively parallel systems and visualization clusters. Access to computational resources is facilitated through the network infrastructure that comprises both wired and wireless segments; the wireless network covers most of the University’s main campus.

Sustainable Systems

The graduate program in Sustainable Systems is intended to provide students with an education and research experience that is cross-disciplinary. The program permits considerable flexibility in the selection of courses and participation in research experiences, thereby allowing students to tailor the graduate program according to their background and educational objectives. This program aligns with CAEE’s Strategic Plan, which focuses on the Cities, Water, and Energy nexus, challenging civil, architectural, and environmental engineers to address complex problems through innovative and cross-disciplinary solutions. To foster this, research of each Sustainable Systems student can be co-supervised by two faculty members in different areas. Hence, students are affiliated to laboratories in their respective supervisor(s) area(s). Students also benefit from the many facilities and infrastructure systems on campus and in the surrounding community as living laboratories for class visits and research studies. 

Transportation Engineering

The University’s proximity to the headquarters of governmental transportation agencies provides ready access to the facilities and records of these organizations by graduate students, in planning, behavioral modeling and demand prediction, geometric and structural design, large-scale infrastructure systems analysis and optimal resource allocations, policy making, and operation of streets, highways, and transit and non-motorized transportation systems. The Center for Transportation Research administers an extensive cooperative research program with the Texas Department of Transportation, the United States Department of Transportation, as well as a spectrum of sponsored projects with other agencies, including the Transportation Research Board, and the National Science Foundation.

Equipment for specialized and routine testing of materials used for constructing and maintaining transportation facilities is available. The bituminous materials laboratory includes state-of-the-art asphalt binder and asphalt concrete testing equipment, an environmental control chamber, and mix preparation and aggregate handling facilities.

Facilities are provided for studying traffic operations, including traffic volume counters, speed meters, motor-driven movie cameras, video cameras and recorders, projectors, portable delay recorders, and other special measuring and recording equipment.

The Transportation Infrastructure and Information Systems Laboratory provides the capability to conduct research in analysis and simulation of large-scale infrastructure systems. The Transportation Equilibrium, Simulation, and Optimized Networks Laboratory allows research on large-scale complex networks with a focus on transportation systems. In addition, the University’s high-performance computers and hardware and software in the department’s Learning Resources Center are available to support research in transportation networks, infrastructure systems, land uses, and traffic operations.

Libraries

In addition to the Perry-Castañeda Library and libraries in physics and mathematics, geological sciences, life sciences, and chemistry, a complete library of books, periodicals, and society proceedings in civil engineering is housed in the McKinney Engineering Library.

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Facilities are available for graduate work in almost all areas of study within electrical and computer engineering. Graduate student offices and well-equipped laboratories are housed in the Engineering Education and Research Center on main campus and in the Microelectronics and Engineering Center on the J. J. Pickle Research Campus. Among the resources available for computationally intensive research is the Texas Advanced Computing Center (physically also housed on the J. J. Pickle Research campus). In addition, The University of Texas Libraries provide a rich source of literature to support graduate student activities in electrical and computer engineering, including free online access to academic journals.

Faculty of the Chandra Family Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering also participate in several widely-recognized centers for research including: the Center for Advanced Research in Software Engineering, the Center for Electromechanics, the Center for Identity, the Center for Perceptual Systems, the Center for Transportation Research, the Microelectronics Research Center, the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, the Texas Materials Institute, and the Wireless Networking and Communications Group.

Engineering Mechanics

Graduate study and facilities for research are offered in the areas of theoretical mechanics and applied mathematics, dynamics, computational mechanics, experimental fluid mechanics, computational fluid dynamics, finite element methods, boundary element methods, experimental mechanics, solid and structural mechanics, and structural dynamics. The extensive facilities of Information Technology Services and related hardware for interactive computer graphics and real-time control of experiments are available to graduate students for research use. For experimental research, the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics maintains laboratory facilities on the main campus and at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus. These facilities include equipment for studies in high-velocity impact, structural dynamics, and materials science. A well-equipped machine shop is partially supported by the department, and technical assistance is available when required.

Materials Science and Engineering

Extensive facilities, including laboratories for materials research and instruction and offices for faculty members and students, are located in several buildings on the main campus and at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus. The offices for the Texas Materials Institute (TMI) the materials science and engineering graduate program are located in the Engineering Education and Research Center (EER) building. Core central facilities for research include the Electron Microscopy, X-Ray Scattering, Surface Analysis, Nanofabrication and Testing, Electronic and Vibrational Scattering, Microelectronic Materials Processing, Organic Electronic Fabrication, Scanning Probe, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry, and Polymer Characterization Facilities, each of which employs a manager to assist users. Other laboratories provide materials synthesis, powder processing, mechanical testing, and property measurements facilities for use by students and faculty members.

Mechanical Engineering

Acoustics

Major experimental facilities include a general-purpose acoustics laboratory, a transducers laboratory, an anechoic chamber, a reverberation chamber, waveguides for high-intensity sound, a computer-controlled water tank for ultrasonics, and extensive underwater sound facilities at the Applied Research Laboratories.

Biomechanical Engineering

Supporting courses and facilities are also provided through the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Dynamic Systems and Control

Laboratories and facilities are available for research in acoustics, biomechanics, control systems, mechatronics, robotics, system dynamics, and tribology.

Manufacturing and Decision Systems Engineering

Major research facilities are available for graduate students in this field.

Manufacturing and Design

Well-equipped laboratories are available for research in solid freeform fabrication (including selective laser sintering), product modeling and simulation, unit manufacturing processes, robotics, one-off prototyping (such as CNC processes, woodworking equipment, power tools, and product measurement equipment), scaled manufacturing (from macro to meso to micro), biomedical device fabrication, and laser-based processes. These laboratories are part of the Advanced Manufacturing Center.

Materials Engineering

Laboratory facilities include scanning and transmission electron microscopes; X-ray scattering, metallographic, laser processing, thermal analysis, and thin-film characterization facilities; and mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and electrochemical property measurement equipment.

Nuclear and Radiation Engineering

The Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory is equipped with a 1.1-MW TRIGA pulsing nuclear reactor; a cold neutron source with prompt gamma analysis; neutron radiography equipment; neutron activation analysis equipment, including a pneumatic transfer system; californium-252 neutron sources; a low-level gamma-ray counting system and many radiation detection systems; and extensive computational capabilities.

Thermal/Fluid Systems

Experimental facilities include subsonic wind tunnels, three-dimensional laser-Doppler anemometry, a micro/nano fabrication facility, scanning probe microscopy, a cryogenic measurement facility, instrumentation calibration facilities for semiconductor rapid thermal processing, fundamental combustion research facilities, engine and emission test facilities, solar energy components and systems, and various fluid mechanics and heat transfer equipment. The University’s computational resources for numerical investigations are state-of-the-art and extensive.

Operations Research and Industrial Engineering

State-of-the-art computer facilities, specialized laboratories, and the latest versions of applications software are available to all graduate students.

Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering

Excellent facilities for graduate research in petroleum and geosystems engineering are available in multiple engineering buildings where Hildebrand Department faculty, staff and students work. The Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Building is home to the department offices, classrooms, student office and study space, and state of the art research laboratories. Another segment of the program’s research staff occupy the Gary L. Thomas Energy Engineering Building, an interdisciplinary education and research building dedicated to solving the problems for our energy future. Finally, additional laboratory space at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus is used for large scale research apparatus. A machine shop is maintained to fabricate and support research equipment.

In addition to the facilities of Information Technology Services, students have access to a host of computers housed in the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, including numerous PCs, workstations, and parallel computing clusters. World-class supercomputing facilities are also available at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Excellent library facilities include the Mallet Chemistry Library, the Walter Geology Library, and the Kuehne Physics Mathematics Astronomy Library.

Semiconductor Science and Engineering

Subsurface Energy Engineering 

Excellent facilities for graduate research in petroleum and geosystems engineering are available in multiple engineering buildings where Hildebrand Department faculty, staff and students work. The Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Building is home to the department offices, classrooms, student office and study space, and state of the art research laboratories. Another segment of the program’s research staff occupies the Gary L. Thomas Energy Engineering Building, an interdisciplinary education and research building dedicated to solving the problems for our energy future. Finally, additional laboratory space at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus is used for large scale research apparatus. A machine shop is maintained to fabricate and support research equipment.

In addition to the facilities of Information Technology Services, students have access to a host of computers housed in the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, including numerous PCs, workstations, and parallel computing clusters. World-class supercomputing facilities are also available at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Excellent library facilities include the Mallet Chemistry Library, the Walter Geology Library, and the Kuehne Physics Mathematics Astronomy Library.