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

Programs

Artificial Intelligence

Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence

Astronomy

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Biochemistry

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Cell and Molecular Biology

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Chemistry

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Computer Science

Master of Science in Computer Science
Doctor of Philosophy

Data Science

Master of Science in Data Science

Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Human Development and Family Sciences

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Information Security and Privacy

Master of Science in Information Security and Privacy

Information Studies

Master of Science in Information Studies
Doctor of Philosophy

Marine Science

Master of Science in Marine Science
Doctor of Philosophy

Mathematics

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Microbiology

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Neuroscience

Master of Science in Neuroscience
Doctor of Philosophy

Nutritional Sciences

Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences
Doctor of Philosophy

Physics

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Plant Biology

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

Statistics

Master of Science in Statistics
Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

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)
English/Information studies	Master of Arts/Master of Science in Information Studies
Global policy studies/Information studies	Master of Global Policy Studies/Master of Science in Information Studies
Latin american studies/Information studies	Master of Arts/Master of Science in Information Studies
Law/Information studies	Doctor of Jurisprudence/Master of Science in Information Studies
Middle eastern studies/Information studies	Master of Arts/Master of Science in Information Studies
Public affairs/Information studies	Master of Public Affairs/Master of Science in Information Studies
Women’s and gender studies/Information studies	Master of Arts/Master of Science in Information Studies

Requirements and Policy

Artificial Intelligence

For More Information

E-mail: msai@utexas.edu (prospective) / msaigradcoordinator@utexas.edu (graduate coordinator)

URL: https://cdso.utexas.edu/msai

Astronomy

For More Information

E-mail: studentinfo@astro.as.utexas.edu

URL: https://astronomy.utexas.edu/ 

Biochemistry

For More Information

E-mail: ilsgrad@austin.utexas.edu

URL: www.ils.utexas.edu/biochemistry

Cell and Molecular Biology

For More Information

E-mail:ilsgrad@austin.utexas.edu

URL: https://ils.utexas.edu/cmb/

Chemistry

For More Information

E-mail:jgrimes@austin.utexas.edu

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

Computer Science

For More Information

E-mail: csadmis@cs.utexas.edu (prospective)/ gradoffice@cs.utexas.edu (graduate coordinator)

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

Data Science

For More Information

E-mail:  msdatascience@utexas.edu

URL:  https://cdso.utexas.edu

Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior

For More Information

E-mail: TamraBRogers@utexas.edu

URL: https://integrativebio.utexas.edu/ecology-evolution-and-behavior

Human Development and Family Sciences

For More Information

E-mail: mailto:jolie.cota.flink@austin.utexas.edu

URL: https://hdfs.utexas.edu/academics/graduate-study

Information Security and Privacy

For More Information

E-mail: msisp@utexas.edu

URL: msisp.ischool.utexas.edu

Information Studies

For More Information

E-mail: graduateadmit@ischool.utexas.edu

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

Marine Science

For More Information

E-mail:gradinfo@utlists.utexas.edu

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

Mathematics

For More Information

E-mail: gradadv@math.utexas.edu

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

Microbiology

For More Information

E-mail:ilsgrad@austin.utexas.edu

URL: https://ils.utexas.edu/microbiology/

Neuroscience

For More Information

E-mail: neuroscience@mail.clm.utexas.edu

URL: https://inp.neuroscience.utexas.edu/

Nutritional Sciences

For More Information

E-mail: black@austin.utexas.edu

URL: https://nutrition.utexas.edu/

Physics

For More Information

E-mail:graduate@physics.utexas.edu

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

Plant Biology

For More Information

E-mail: mailto:TamraBRogers@utexas.edu

URL: https://integrativebio.utexas.edu/plant-biology

Statistics

For More Information

E-mail:stat.admin@austin.utexas.edu

URL: https://stat.utexas.edu/academics#graduate-programs

Graduate Studies Committees 

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

Artificial Intelligence

Joydeep Biswas Constantine Caramanis Eunsol Choi Isil Dillig Gregory C Durrett Warren A Hunt Jr Adam R Klivans

Philipp Kraehenbuehl Qiang Liu Roberto Martin-Martin Raymond J Mooney Sujay Sanghavi Peter H Stone

Astronomy

Taft E Armandroff Danielle Amanda Berg Michael Boylan-Kolchin Volker Bromm John Chisholm Harriet L Dinerstein Keely Delain Finkelstein Steven Lyle Finkelstein Karl Gebhardt Sebastian Gomez Changhoon Hahn

Keith Hawkins Gary J Hill Daniel T Jaffe Shardha Jogee Adam Levi Kraus Pawan Kumar Caroline V Morley Julian B Munoz Stella S Offner Paul R Shapiro Don Winget

Biochemistry

Hal S Alper Ethel Bayer Santos Xiaolu Cambronne Lydia Maria Contreras Kevin N Dalby Daniel James Dickinson Stephen Carl Ekker Andrew Ellington Ilya J Finkelstein George Georgiou Brent L Iverson Andres Jara-Oseguera Adrian T Keatinge-Clay Kenneth C Keiler Daniel J Leahy Seongmin Lee Hung-Wen Liu

Yi Lu Edward M Marcotte Andreas Matouschek Jennifer A Maynard Jason McLellan Somshuvra Mukhopadhyay Robert W Newberry Tanya T Paull Rick Russell David Soloveichik Jeanne Casstevens Stachowiak David William Taylor Jr Lauren J Webb Christian P Whitman Claus O Wilke Yan Zhang

Cell and Molecular Biology

Hal S Alper Nigel S Atkinson Ethel Bayer Santos Brian Belardi George D Bittner Xiaolu Cambronne Can Cenik Z Jeffrey Chen Lydia Maria Contreras Kevin N Dalby Bryan William Davies Daniel James Dickinson John Digiovanni Johann K Eberhart Lauren Ilyse richie Ehrlich Stephen Carl Ekker Andrew Ellington Lief Fenno Ilya J Finkelstein Ilias Georgakopoulos-Soares George Georgiou Vernita Gordon Andrea C Gore Ryan S Gray Jeffrey Martin Gross Juan Guan Arbel Harpak Rasika M Harshey Justin C Havird David W Hoffman Johann Hofmann Enamul Huq Brent L Iverson Vishwanath R Iyer Robert K Jansen Arlen W Johnson Adrian T Keatinge-Clay Kenneth C Keiler Benjamin Keith Keitz Jonghwan Kim Nayun Kim

Alan Lambowitz Seongmin Lee Jaime Lopez Yi Lu Edward M Marcotte Jennifer A Maynard Jason McLellan Mona Mehdy Robert Messing Ian J Molineux Somshuvra Mukhopadhyay Vagheesh M Narasimhan Robert W Newberry Tanya T Paull Steven M Phelps Jonathan T Pierce Hong Qiao John H Richburg Rick Russell Elif Sarinay Cenik Jeanne Casstevens Stachowiak David S Stein Everett M Stone Laura J Suggs Christopher S Sullivan David William Taylor Jr Stefano Tiziani Keiko Torii Benjamin J Umlauf Karen Marie Vasquez Steven A Vokes John B Wallingford Huiliang Wang Andrew Duncan Weems Christian P Whitman Claus O Wilke Arielle Woznica Kun Yang Rebecca Young Yan Zhang

Chemistry

Eric V Anslyn Michael Aubrey Carlos R Baiz Brian Belardi J Thomas Brenna Jennifer S Brodbelt Cassandra E Callmann Kurtis Mickel Carsch James R Chelikowsky Andrew Ellington Graeme Andrew Henkelman Ken Hsu Kami Hull Simon M Humphrey Brent L Iverson Adrian T Keatinge-Clay Benjamin Keith Keitz Michael J Krische David A Laude Xiuling Li

Yi-Chih Lin Hung-Wen Liu Yi Lu Dmitrii E Makarov Michael Thomas Marty Delia Milliron Charles B Mullins Robert W Newberry Zachariah Allen Page Emily Que Doran Raccah Hang Ren Sean Thomas Roberts Michael Rose Devleena Samanta Jonathan L Sessler Devarajan Thirumalai David A Vandenbout Lauren J Webb

Computer Science

Scott J Aaronson Aditya Akella Venkat Arun Chandrajit L Bajaj Joydeep Biswas Swarat Chaudhuri Shuchi Chawla Eunsol Choi Inderjit S Dhillon Isil Dillig Gregory C Durrett Donald S Fussell Anna Gal Ilias Georgakopoulos-Soares Joydeep Ghosh Milos Gligoric Kristen L Grauman David Harwath Qixing Huang Warren A Hunt Jr Nick Hunter-Jones Ibrahim Volkan Isler Daehyeok Kim Adam R Klivans Philipp Kraehenbuehl William Werner Kretschmer Matthew Alan Lease Yan Leng Jessy Li Calvin Lin Leqi Liu Qiang Liu Roberto Martin-Martin Kenneth McMillan Risto P Miikkulainen Daniel P Miranker

Aloysius K Mok Raymond J Mooney Dana Hadar Moshkovitz aaronson Shravan Ravi Narayan Gordon S Novak Jr Amy Pavel Georgios Pavlakos Keshav K Pingali C Greg Plaxton William H Press Eric Price Lili Qiu Vijaya Ramachandran Christopher J Rossbach Sujay Sanghavi Purnamrita Sarkar Hovav Shacham Sanjay Shakkottai David Soloveichik Elias Stengel-Eskin Peter H Stone Dixin Tang Kevin Tian Ufuk Topcu Vijaychidambaram Velayudhan Pillai Paul Etienne Vouga Atlas Wang Brent R Waters Karen E Willcox Emmett Witchel David Junzi Wu Amy Zhang Mingyuan Zhou Yuke Zhu David I Zuckerman

Data Science

Jay Bartroff Catherine Calder Gregory C Durrett Adam R Klivans Philipp Kraehenbuehl

Calvin Lin Antonio Linero Raymond J Mooney Layla Parast Roger Peng

Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior

Brett J Baker Carlos Botero David Cannatella Z Jeffrey Chen Julia Allison Clarke Molly E Cummings Anthony F Di Fiore Andrew Ellington Caroline E Farrior Lee A Fuiman Lawrence E Gilbert Arbel Harpak Justin C Havird David M Hillis Johann Hofmann Robert K Jansen Shalene Jha Thomas E Juenger Timothy H Keitt Melissa Kemp Mark A Kirkpatrick Amanda Koltz

Rebecca J Lewis Randy Linder Mikhail V Matz Lauren A Meyers Ian J Molineux Nancy A Moran Ulrich G Mueller Vagheesh M Narasimhan Annette M Ostling Jose L Panero Steven M Phelps William H Press Michael J Ryan Brian E Sedio Shelley Ann Sianta Edward C Theriot Claus O Wilke Amelia Wolf Rebecca Young Harold H Zakon Kelly R Zamudio

Human Development and Family Sciences

Francheska Catalina Alers Rojas Maria Mercedes Arredondo Aprile D Benner Brian P Don Mateo Farina Karen L Fingerman Elizabeth Thompson Gershoff Marci Elizabeth Joy Gleason Sae Hwang Han Nancy L Hazen Swann Deborah B Jacobvitz

Su Yeong Kim Gabriela Livas Jeffrey J Lockman Elma Ines Lorenzo-blanco Elizabeth Munoz Lisa Neff Nicole Perry Stephen Thomas Russell Fatima Alesia Varner Hannah Williamson

Information Security and Privacy

Suzanne Barber Philip Doty Kenneth Robert Fleischmann Matthew S McGlone

Soo Young Rieh Stephen Slota Huseyin Tanriverdi

Information Studies

Ahmer Arif Andrea Baer Kayla Booth Andrew P Dillon Ying Ding Kenneth Robert Fleischmann Edgar Gomez-Cruz Jacek Gwizdka Elliott Hauser Steven G Hershman James L Howison Earl Huff Jr R David Lankes Matthew Alan Lease Min Kyung Lee

Hanlin Li Brian J McInnis Michael McQuaid Abhijit Mishra Ryan C Moore John L Neumann Sarah S Norris Soo Young Rieh Shounak Roychowdhury Stephen Slota Angela D Smith Nathan Edward TeBlunthuis David G Widder Bo Xie Yan Zhang

Marine Science

Brett J Baker Simon J Brandl Edward J Buskey Jordan Casey Kelly Maureen Dorgan Kenneth H Dunton Deana L Erdner Andrew Jerome Esbaugh

Lee A Fuiman Suzana Goncalves Leles Robert Joseph Griffitt Sharon Zinah Herzka Xinping Hu Mark Lever Zhanfei Liu Kristin Nielsen

Mathematics

Daniel J Allcock Todd J Arbogast Chandrajit L Bajaj William Beckner David D Ben-Zvi Lewis P Bowen Patrick L Brockett Ashay Burungale Luis A Caffarelli Thomas Chen Mirela Ciperiani Anthony Jack Georges Conway Irving Dai Chiara Damiolini Jeffrey E Danciger Matias Gonzalo Delgadino Bjorn Engquist Irene M Gamba Oscar Gonzalez Cameron M Gordon Maria Pia Pia Gualdani Ronny Hadani Raymond C Heitmann Arie Israel Kate Juschenko Sean M Keel

Joseph David Kileel John E Luecke Francesco Maggi Per-Gunnar J Martinsson Lucas Mason-Brown Maggie Hall Miller Peter Mueller Stefania Patrizi Natasa Pavlovic Timothy Perutz Lisa Piccirillo Charles L Radin Lorenzo A Sadun Bernd Siebert Mihai Sirbu Michael P Starbird Thibaud Olivier Taillefumier Philip M Treisman Yen-Hsi Tsai Alexis F Vasseur Mikhail M Vishik Stephen G Walker Rachel A Ward Thaleia Zariphopoulou Gordan Zitkovic

Microbiology

Hal S Alper Aaron Blair Baker Brett J Baker Ethel Bayer Santos Bryan William Davies Lauren Ilyse richie Ehrlich Stephen Carl Ekker Andrew Ellington George Georgiou Vernita Gordon Rasika M Harshey Arlen W Johnson Zunlong Ke Kenneth C Keiler

Benjamin Keith Keitz Alan Lambowitz Despoina Mavridou Jennifer A Maynard Esther Melamed Ian J Molineux Nancy A Moran Howard Ochman Tanya T Paull Shelley M Payne Elif Sarinay Cenik Christopher S Sullivan Benjamin J Umlauf

Neuroscience

Nigel S Atkinson Chandrajit L Bajaj Adela Ben-Yakar George D Bittner Audrey C Brumback Julia Campbell Frances Anne Champagne Jessica Alice Church-Lang Josh M Cisler Laura Lee Colgin Samuel Cooper Lawrence K Cormack James Patrick Curley Yvon Delville Lauren K Dobbs Juan M Dominguez Jennifer Jane Donegan Manoj Doss Michael Drew Audrey Duarte Andrew K Dunn Joseph Edward Dunsmoor Jr Johann K Eberhart Thomas W Elston Lief Fenno Laura K Fonken Greg Anthony Fonzo Andrew David Gaudet Nace L Golding Marcel Goldschen Rueben A Gonzales Francisco Gonzalez-Lima Andrea C Gore Robbe Lieve Theofiel Goris Andreana P Haley Liberty Hamilton Kristen M Harris Mary Myleen Hayhoe Maya L Henry Ted Ho Johann Hofmann Lori L Holt Mackenzie A Howard Mbemba Jabbi Andres Jara-Oseguera

Theresa A Jones Husniye Kantarci Kevin K Kumar John S Kuo Amy Lee Hongjoo Joanne Lee Ayland C Letsinger Jarrod Alan Lewis-Peacock Elizabeth Thomas Cox Lippard Yi Lu Regina A Mangieri Michela Marinelli Michael Mauk Roy D Mayfield Esther Melamed Robert Messing S J Mihic Risto P Miikkulainen Jose del R Millan Marie Helene Monfils Hitoshi Morikawa Somshuvra Mukhopadhyay Luis A Natividad Hiroshi Nishiyama Kimberly Nixon Linda Jeanne Noble Caitlin A Orsini David Paydarfar Franco Pestilli Steven M Phelps Jonathan T Pierce Alison R Preston Nicholas J Priebe Susanne Ressl Samantha Rose Santacruz William Schwartz Eyal Seidemann Eric Senning Stephen M Strakowski Thibaud Olivier Taillefumier Huiliang Wang Xuexin Wei Chen Yu Harold H Zakon Boris Zemelman

Nutritional Sciences

Molly S Bray Marissa Burgermaster Jaimie N Davis John Digiovanni James C Fleet Jeanne E Freeland Graves Ryan S Gray Christopher A Jolly

Laura M Lashinger Heather Leidy Alessia Lodi Monica Jane Milonovich Natalie Shepherd Poulos Stefano Tiziani Leah Dawn Whigham Elizabeth Widen

Physics

Scott J Aaronson Junyeong Ahn Jose R Alvarado Antonios Alvertis Timothy R Andeen Jr Edoardo Baldini Kimberly Boddy Boris Breizman Joshua W Burby Elena Caceres James R Chelikowsky Hsin-Yu Chen Alexander A Demkov Jacques Distler Todd Ditmire Michael Wayne Downer Richard Fitzpatrick Ernst-Ludwig Florin Katherine Freese Nicholas Galitzki Kenneth W Gentle William Gilpin Feliciano Giustino Vernita Gordon Bjorn Hegelich Daniel J Heinzen Nick Hunter-Jones Matteo Ippoliti Vadim Kaplunovsky Andreas Karch Can Kilic Scott Kravitz

Paul D Kunz Pablo Laguna Keji Lai Sheldon Landsberger Karol Lang Jia Li Xiaoqin Li Allan H Macdonald Michael P Marder Christina Markert John T Markert Richard A Matzner Philip J Morrison Mit Naik Peter Onyisi Raymond Lee Orbach Mark G Raizen Linda E Reichl Amaresh Sahu Paul R Shapiro Chih-Kang Shih Deirdre Shoemaker Donald Jason Siegel Anna Tenerani Devarajan Thirumalai Deepa Thomas Maxim Tsoi Emanuel Tutuc Jay Wadekar Zhen Yao Kent Zheng Aaron Zimmerman

Plant Biology

Z Jeffrey Chen Caroline E Farrior Lawrence E Gilbert Justin C Havird Enamul Huq Robert K Jansen Shalene Jha Thomas E Juenger Randy Linder Mona Mehdy

Nancy A Moran Annette M Ostling Jose L Panero Hong Qiao Brian E Sedio Shelley Ann Sianta Sibum Sung Edward C Theriot Amelia Wolf

Statistics

Jay Bartroff Tasha Beretvas J Eric Bickel Catherine Calder Lawrence K Cormack Paul Damien Arya Farahi Amanda Glazer John J Hasenbein Nhat Ho Mevin Hooten Stephen August Jessee Tse-Min Lin Antonio Linero Lauren A Meyers Douglas J Morrice Peter Mueller Jared Scott Murray Marc A Musick Vagheesh M Narasimhan Yang Ni

Layla Parast Pratik Patil Roger Peng Daniel A Powers Alessandro Rinaldo Brian E Roberts Maytal Saar-Tsechansky Thomas W Sager Abhra Sarkar Purnamrita Sarkar James G Scott Thomas S Shively Bindu Viswanathan Paul Von hippel Stephen G Walker Claus O Wilke Sinead Williamson Yuling Yao Mingyuan Zhou Corwin Zigler

Facilities

Artificial Intelligence

This degree is 100% online and uses none of the physical facilities associated with The University of Texas at Austin, nor the department providing the degree. Students in the program will have access to university electronic resources such as library services.

Astronomy

Facilities for research in astronomy are located on the campus in Austin and at McDonald Observatory in West Texas. Equipment in Austin includes a 16-inch reflector and several smaller telescopes. In addition to the many workstations, desktop, and laptop computers owned by the Department of Astronomy and McDonald Observatory for use in data reduction and analysis, image processing, and other computer needs, Texas astronomers have privileged access to the Texas Advanced Computing Center, a nationally prominent supercomputer facility with cutting-edge computational systems and a state-of-the-art visualization laboratory. The department operates an electronics shop, engineering and instrumentation laboratories, and a well-stocked research library. The Kuehne Physics Mathematics Astronomy Library is located in the Physics, Math, and Astronomy building.

Facilities for research at McDonald Observatory include the 2.7-m reflector, which has a variety of auxiliary instruments, including optical Cassegrain and coudé spectrometers and an imager as well as a novel high-resolution near-infrared spectrometer. The 2.1-m Struve reflector is used at the Cassegrain focus. Its instrumentation includes a low-resolution optical spectrograph and camera, high-speed photometers, a polarimeter, and a high resolution optical spectrometer.

The 10-m class Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET), co-located with the above facilities in west Texas, is equipped for and dedicated to spectroscopic work. A low-resolution spectrograph, a medium-resolution spectrograph, and a high-resolution spectrograph are available. The HETDEX (HET Dark Energy Experiment), a survey employing blank-field spectroscopy to discover high-redshift Lyman alpha emitters and probe the nature of cosmological dark energy, is currently in progress. The data collected in this survey will also be used to study galaxy evolution. The location in west Texas also hosts the only 1-m telescope node of the Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) in the continental U.S.

Biochemistry

Cell and Molecular Biology

Center for Biomedical Research Support (CBRS)
CBRS is a group of shared resource core facilities operated under the Vice President for Research and open to all faculty, staff, and students at The University of Texas at Austin. The cutting-edge technology, services, and expert advice offered by CBRS core facilities are valuable to many students in Cell and Molecular Biology research programs. The facilities offer a wide range of services in nucleic acid and protein sequencing, microscopy, mass spectrometry, protein purifications and analysis, next-generation sequencing, high performance computing, bioinformatics, cryo-electron microscopy, biomedical imaging, and transgenic knock-out mice. Additionally, a large variety of supplies are available from the STEM Stockroom and freezer supply core. Keeping the core facilities as comprehensive and accessible as possible increases faculty, staff, and student research productivity.

Microscopy and Imaging Facility
The Microscopy and Imaging Facility provides extensive equipment and services for microscopy and structural analysis. The facility’s expert staff offer assisted use and training on instrumentation and consult on microscopy and flow cytometry research. Equipment in the facility includes scanning and transmission electron microscopes; fluorescence-based cell analyzers and cell sorters; super-resolution, TIRF, confocal, spinning disk confocal, multiphoton, and widefield fluorescence microscopes; a cryostat; vibratome and paraffin microtomes; an ultramicrotome; and a laser microdissection system. More information about the facility’s services is available on the Microscopy and Imaging Facility website.

Genomic Sequencing and Analysis Facility
The Genomic Sequencing and Analysis Facility provides advanced analytical resources for analysis of DNA and RNA at scales ranging from single cells to whole-genomes. The facility operates two full-service laboratories for nucleic acid sequencing: the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Lab and the Sanger DNA Sequencing Lab.

The NGS Sequencing Lab has staff available for consultations to assist with project planning needs. Once research samples are ready, the NGS lab can take DNA or RNA, transform it into sequence ready libraries, and deliver data ready for analysis.

The NGS Sequencing Lab supports one Illumina NovaSeq, which is excellent for large whole genome, RNA-Seq, or single cell sequencing projects. The facility also has two Illumina MiSeq next-generation DNA sequencers that are best for smaller projects or for projects requiring longer read lengths. Additionally, the facility has two Illumina NextSeq sequencers that are ideal for intermediate scale projects, requiring more read depth than is feasible on the MiSeq. One of the NextSeq instruments has scanning capabilities allowing the core to offer the Illumina Infinium EPIC microarray.

The NGS Sequencing Lab includes a fully equipped molecular laboratory, which is outfitted with Agilent Bioanalyzers, NanoDrops, the Tecan Freedom Evo robotic liquid handling station, Hamilton Nimbus liquid handler, two Covaris shearing instruments, a 10X Chromium controller, and two automated Pippin gel electrophoresis systems.

The GSAF also houses the Sanger DNA Sequencing Lab and provides automated DNA sequencing and fragment analysis using capillary-based Applied Biosystems 3730 and 3130 DNA analyzers. These instruments offer high throughput and sensitivity with a capability of handling more than 800 samples per day, with reads greater than 700 base pairs and a success rate of over 90 percent. The AB 3730 and 3730XL are also used for the analysis of microsattelites, AFLP, SNPs, and other fragment applications. Walk-up equipment available for quantitative real-time PCR include three Life Technologies ViiA sytems. More information about the facility’s services is available on the Genome Sequencing and Analysis Facility website.

Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility
The Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility provides proteomics and metabolomics services, develops methods for collaborative research projects, and trains users on self-service mass spectrometry instrumentation. Two high-resolution, high-sensitivity Thermo Orbitrap Fusion mass spectrometers with Ultimate 3000 RSLCnano UPLC chromatography systems provide qualitative and quantitative proteomics analyses. Proteome Discoverer database searches using Sequest HT and Scaffold, MaxQuant, Perseus, and Skyline software are provided for data processing, validation and visualization, capable of identifying thousands of proteins in a single run. Techniques for quantitation include stable isotope labeling and tandem mass tags, as well as label free methods. Fractionation enables in-depth proteomics analysis. Protein post-translational modifications including phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, oxidation, and ubiquitination are identified from the high-resolution data. De novo sequencing of antibodies and glycopeptide searches are conducted with Byonic, and Supernovo software, respectively. The Intavis DigestPro robot automatically digests and desalts samples for analysis. Protein molecular weight determination service provides good quality control for expressed and modified proteins. A self-service Bruker Autoflex maX MALDI-TOF/TOF instrument is available for analyzing proteins, nucleic acids, peptides, polymers and chemicals, with training provided by core staff. A Vanquish Duo UPLC in line with Thermo Q-Exactive is utilized for metabolomics experiments with Compound Discoverer for metabolite identification and quantitation. More information about the facility services and protocols can be found on the Biological Mass Spectrometry website and Wiki pages.

Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
The Computational Biology and Bioinformatics core (https://research.utexas.edu/cbrs/cores/cbb/) provides support for students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty interested in the use of computational approaches to solving biological problems. This group helps lower the threshold to enter the -omics area of the life sciences. To achieve this goal this core offers an on-demand Bioinformatics Consulting Group that works with researchers on big data analysis projects. Through Training Initiatives, numerous short courses on diverse topics for learning computational approaches to biological problems; an Annual Summer School for Big Data in Biology; peer-led working groups, and community events that complement semester-long for-credit courses are available for the community. Finally, the Biomedical Research Support Facility provides researchers with local computation and managed storage capabilities suitable for research computing workflows not addressed by the Texas Advanced Computing Center. 

Mouse Genetic Engineering Facility
The Mouse Genetic Engineering Facility is in the Animal Resource Center and provides services to generate and archive custom-made transgenic mouse models. Services include CRISPR microinjection, DNA pronuclear injection, embryonic stem (ES) cell microinjection, gene targeting in ES cells, expansion of ES cell clones from the International Knockout Mouse Consortium, embryo cryopreservation, and re-derivation of mouse strains to pathogen-free status. The lab also performs sperm cryopreservation and in vitro fertilization. More information about the facility’s services is available on the Mouse Genetic Engineering Facility website.

STEM Stockroom
The STEM Stockroom is located in the Norman Hackerman Building and provides many lab and office supplies. The STEM Stockroom carries different items ranging from lab consumables, chemicals, office and cleaning supplies, as well as kits from companies such as Qiagen, Sigma, LifeTech and Fisher. Enzymes are also available from New England BioLab and ThermoFisher (Fermentas). The STEM Stockroom also does special orders. For a full inventory list, please check the Center for Biomedical Research Support website.

Biomedical Research Supply Core (BioReSCo)
This Core maintains automated refrigerators and freezers from multiple vendors of molecular biology reagents. These units are available 24/7 to registered users. Primers can also be purchased from Sigma or IDT via a customized website for free delivery to the Core. More information about the reagents available at this facility is available at the BioResCo website.

Electronics Repair
This core provides electronics services including maintenance, service, and repair of biomedical/scientific equipment and instrumentation. This is one of the only SMD (surface-mount device) re-work and fabrication services on campus. Additionally, this core offers electrical and mechanical safety consultations related to classrooms and laboratories. More information about the facility’s services is available on the Electronics Repair website.

Sauer Structural Biology Laboratory (SSBL)
The Sauer Structural Biology Laboratory is a state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscopy facility. The SSBL houses an FEI Titan Krios equipped with a Gatan K2 Summit direct electron detector and an FEI Glacios also equipped with a Gatan K2 Summit direct electron detector. Both instruments are capable of imaging macromolecular machines at atomic or near atomic resolution. The facility also contains all the accessory equipment required for high-resolution structure determination. More information about the facility’s services is available on the SSBL website.

Biomedical Imaging Center (BIC)
The Biomedical Imaging Center is an interdisciplinary, multi-methods facility specializing in non-invasive neuroimaging. The center supports a Siemens VIDA 3T MRI scanner and a Siemens Skyra 3T MRI scanner. These instruments are used by many researchers for studies of human perception, memory, decision-making, and behavior. Unique emphases at the BIC include a strong connection to supercomputing resources at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC), real-time fMRI, high-resolution / 3D visual presentation, and support for developmental studies. The facility also contains several resources for imaging in model systems, as well as imaging-informed fabrication and machining. More information about the facility’s services is available on the BIC website.

Chemistry

The University Libraries provide access to key database resources such as SciFinder, Reaxys, and Web of Science, as well as hundreds of electronic scientific journals and thousands of e-books. These resources are available through the University Libraries website. The library also maintains extensive print collections in all areas of chemistry and chemical engineering.

The Department of Chemistry maintains world-class core facilities staffed by experienced scientists. Facilities include NMR, mass spectrometry, x-ray diffraction, scientific glassblowing, and electronics maintenance and design. For further information on our facilities, including specific instrumentation available, visit Department Facilities.

Computer Science

To provide the most advanced resources for teaching and research, the Department of Computer Science manages its own network and system of more than 1,000 hosts.

A staff of 12, under the direction of the department chair, specifies, buys, installs, and maintains this computing infrastructure. Through accounts on the department's Linux and MacOS workstations, students, faculty members, and staff have access to public laboratories and private equipment.

Many different computer systems are available for research use by faculty members and students in the department. The department operates a general-purpose high-throughput computing (HTC) Linux cluster with over 2,000 cores, Dell PowerEdge checkpoint servers, 100 nVidia GPUs of various types, and a NetApp filer with 77TB of storage. This cluster, as well as all public computing resources, are available to everyone via HTCondor, a resource management tool for widely distributed systems. There are several hundred Linux machines in public labs, and there are over 100 linux boxes on graduate desks. Several hundred other workstations of varying configurations and platforms are located in private research labs or on researchers' desks.

All departmental computers are networked together using one or 10 Gigabits per second Ethernet. The network, managed and maintained by staff, consists of over 100 Cisco switches, with a Cisco 6513 serving as its point of presence and firewall. Network-accessible storage is provided by a NetApp filer with 77TB of space dedicated to cluster computing work and 75TB for home directories as well as infrastructural, project and course-related storage.

Data Science

This degree is 100% online, and uses none of the physical facilities associated with The University of Texas at Austin, nor the departments jointly providing the degree (the Department of Statistics and Data Sciences and the Department of Computer Science). Students in the program will have access to university electronic resources such as library services.

Ecology, Evolution and Behavior

Human Development and Family Sciences

The Department of Human Development and Family Sciences is housed in the Sarah M. and Charles E. Seay Building, which provides excellent resources for teaching and research. Computer facilities are extensive. In addition to the facilities of Information Technology Services, students have access to the department’s computer laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility equipped with advanced computers and statistical software. These resources are supplemented by extensive computer equipment in individual faculty laboratories.

The half-day preschool and infant/toddler programs of the Priscilla Pond Flawn Child and Family Laboratory provide a setting for research by faculty members and graduate students, a facility for student observation and training, and a model program for children and their families. They also provide opportunities for family involvement in the classroom, parent education programs, parent conferences, and family research. Because the laboratory has served Austin families for over 100 years, the opportunities for multigenerational and longitudinal research are significant.

The department has extensive facilities for observing and recording social interaction. The Marital and Family Interaction Laboratory is available for recording couple and family interactions in a comfortable setting. The laboratory consists of a naturalistic living room connected to well-equipped control rooms that enable interactions to be recorded unobtrusively. The facility is augmented by numerous other one-way observation and coding rooms that enable recorded data to be analyzed using state-of-the-art computer-video analysis systems.

The department also has excellent facilities for conducting survey research. These include a series of individual interview rooms and a telephone research center.

Several rich sets of data, many of which include longitudinal data from families, are housed in the department and are available to graduate students for research. These sets of data focus on a wide range of topics, including the early years of marriage; the transition to parenthood; parent-child interaction; intergenerational ties; the connection between family and peer relationships; the connection between work roles and family relationships; and the impact of biology, language, cognition, poverty, child care policy, and context on children, adolescents, and aging.

Information Security and Privacy

Facilities for students include an Information Technology Laboratory, two computer classrooms, conservation and preservation laboratories, a video-editing suite, multimedia teaching stations in all classrooms, access to a usability and accessibility laboratory, an information retrieval and crowdsourcing lab, and a digital archeology lab, a computer vision lab, and a virtual reality lab. Students have access to advanced computer equipment and software for instructional and research use. Students receive a full-service Internet account and have access to various computer operating systems, such as Macintosh, Windows, and Linux.

Information Studies

Facilities for students include an Information Technology Laboratory, two computer classrooms, conservation and preservation laboratories, audio and video editing suites, multimedia teaching stations in all classrooms, and access to a usability and accessibility laboratory, an information retrieval and crowdsourcing lab, a digital archeology lab, a computer vision lab, and a virtual reality lab. Students have access to advanced computer equipment and software for instructional and research use, including 3-D printing and fabrication, supplementing the school’s physical and wireless network and computer facilities. Students receive a full-service Internet account and have access to various computer operating systems, such as Macintosh, Windows, and Linux.

Marine Science

Facilities for graduate work in marine science are located at the shoreside laboratory of the Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas. The institute is located on the Aransas Pass ship channel among the dunes at the tip of Mustang Island, with easy access to bays, beaches, and the Gulf of Mexico. Environmental systems nearby include the hypersaline Laguna Madre, seagrass meadows, rivers, oyster reefs, fresh and saltwater marshes, and the nearshore and offshore Gulf of Mexico waters. The Port Aransas facility offers classrooms, laboratories (wet and dry), core facilities laboratory, research pier, seawater system, mariculture tank systems, and a specialized library. The institute’s fleet includes a 57-foot trawler (R/V Katy) and 10 smaller boats. In addition, there is a pool of four-wheel-drive vehicles for work in and around the local habitats. The shoreside research and teaching facilities also include a library and attached study rooms, dormitories, and graduate student apartments.

Graduate students take their early coursework in Austin, including supporting work in other departments. Many courses taught in Port Aransas are available to students on the Austin campus via video teleconference facilities. Normally, one or two long semesters are spent in Austin. Most students then reside in Port Aransas while they undertake thesis and dissertation research at the Marine Science Institute. These students also take additional instruction at the Institute, including organized courses and seminars.

Mathematics

The Kuehne Physics Mathematics Astronomy Library has a broad range of mathematical literature for study and research. The collection offers access to a wide variety of print-based and electronic research tools, including bibliographic databases and research and teaching journals in all areas of mathematics. The collection of e-journals is extensive. Electronic resources are accessible through the University Libraries website.

The Department of Mathematics computer system is available for use in connection with courses and investigations in both pure and applied mathematics.

Microbiology

Neuroscience

The interdisciplinary graduate program in Neuroscience offers excellent opportunities for multidisciplinary graduate study in the neurosciences. Facilities include those maintained by the participating programs in the Colleges of Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, Pharmacy, Education, Communication, Dell Medical School and in the Cockrell School of Engineering. Institutional support, training grants, and federal and state grants to investigators in the program provide stipends and support research. Faculty members throughout the university participate in interdisciplinary seminars, a year-long principles of neuroscience course, and offer numerous neuroscience course electives in specialty topics. The goal of the program is to provide students with broad exposure to diverse areas of neuroscience research, while enabling them to develop expertise in a specialized field and apply cutting-edge methodologies throughout their careers in neuroscience research, teaching and industry. To achieve this, the faculty is committed to fostering a diverse, cohesive, and interactive environment, supported by a flexible curriculum tailored to meet the individual needs of each student.

Nutritional Sciences

The Department of Nutritional Sciences research faculty are housed within the Dell Pediatric Research Institute (DPRI). The DPRI is a state-of-the-art research facility with over 150,000 gross square feet of research related lab, core facilities, vivarium resources, and administrative space. The DPRI Pediatric Assessment Center (DPAC) is approximately 2,000 square feet of multi-use shared research space dedicated to nutrition and obesity research. Resources of the DPAC include instrumentation for the measurement of body composition, anthropometrics, blood pressure and heart rate, and for performing blood draws and other types of sample collection. The DPAC also includes space for pediatric subject assessment and interviews as well as computing space with dedicated computers for processing nutritional intake data. The DPRI also houses a Histopathology Core (used for histologic and immunohistochemical analysis), Cell and Tissue Analysis Facility Core (confocal microscopy, laser capture microdissection and flow cytometry), and a Molecular Biology Core (genotyping and microarray analyses). Instrumentation is also available for analysis of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, lipids, carbohydrates, and other substances of nutritional and physiological importance. Local, state, and federal health, child-care, and geriatrics programs provide research and clinical settings. Other resources are the Life Science Library, the Mallet Chemistry Library, the Perry-Castañeda Library, the Animal Resources Center, and Information Technology Services.

Physics

Modern facilities for graduate study and research include a large-scale cryogenic laboratory; extensive facilities for tunneling and force microscopy and nanostructure characterization, SQUID magnetometry, and electron spectroscopy; well-equipped laboratories in optical spectroscopy, quantum optics, femtosecond spectroscopy and diagnostics, and surface scattering; and facilities including two table-top 100-terawatt lasers for strong-field physics, studies of wakefield electron acceleration, and a pulsed 50T magnetic field for studies of laser heating of magnetized plasmas, and two petawatt lasers (one Ti-sapphire providing 30J in 30fs and another glass laser at 200J in 150fs). The department is a member of LASER NET, a DOE supported consortium of laser laboratories for high energy density plasma physics. The Center for Gravitational Physics conducts research in conjunction with several Gravitational Wave Observatories (ground-based US LIGO, Italian/French Virgo, Japanese Kagra, and the space-based ESA/NASA mission LISA). Plasma physics experiments are conducted at the major national tokamaks in Boston and San Diego. Experiments in high-energy heavy ion nuclear and particle physics are conducted at large accelerator facilities such as the large hadron collider and ALICE at CERN, the STAR detector on the RHIC collider at Brookhaven National Lab, neutrino production at FERMI National Laboratory (Illinois), and Germany’s Deutsches Electron Synchrotron.

Theoretical work in plasma physics, condensed matter physics, acoustics, nonlinear dynamics, relativity, astrophysics, statistical mechanics, and particle theory is conducted within the Department of Physics.

Students have access to excellent computer and library facilities, including computers at TACC: Ranger, a multiprocessor computer at 504 Tflops and Stampede which provides 3.5 Pflops in a computer cluster and 7+ Pflops of coprocessor support.

The department maintains and staffs a machine shop, student workshop, low-temperature and high-vacuum shop, and an electronics design and repair shop.

Plant Biology

Statistics

The Department of Statistics and Data Sciences (SDS) is primarily located in Welch Hall (WEL), which houses the department’s administrative suites and offices for the tenured/tenure-track faculty and staff. PhD students and postdocs also have shared offices in Welch Hall. This newly renovated space includes three state-of-the-art conference rooms and a flexible collaboration space. In addition, the department maintains a footprint in the Dell Gates Complex (GDC), which is located across from Welch Hall. The department’s instructional faculty have offices in GDC, as well as flexible space for informal instruction and office hours. The department’s statistical consulting center is located in GDC. SDS partners with the Population Research Center and the Texas Advanced Computing Center to provide support for secure data and computationally intensive research.