College of Engineering

Engineering has been pivotal to the development of a wide array of technological innovations which we take for granted today. It is clear that engineering will continue to make key contributions as our nation's technological needs evolve over the coming decades. The challenges of bringing new products, processes and materials to commercial reality while maintaining a leadership position in established technologies will require engineers with advanced graduate education.

The environment for engineering graduate study at UT-Austin is outstanding. Students develop a broad range of skills and knowledge which enables them to adapt and contribute to changing technologies and go beyond the bounds of conventional engineering practice. Graduate research experience at UT-Austin is enriched by input from fellow students and faculty, as well as our superior facilities.

• Faculty.

  The UT-Austin faculty have distinguished themselves in the classroom, the laboratory and their respective industries. Examples of excellence include Dr. Herbert Woodson, dean of the College, who was named the 1990 Engineer of the Year by the National Society of Professional Engineers -- the organization's highest honor.

  Overall, the College has consistently ranked among the top five engineering colleges nationwide with at least ten faculty members of the NAE. A total of 12 College of Engineering professors had work sponsored through the National Science Foundation Young Investigator Award program in 1993. In addition, Dr. Rebecca Richards-Kortum of the electrical and computer engineering department was designated an NSF Faculty Fellow.

• Research.

  Engineering graduate students are heavily involved in the $63 million in research conducted annually by the College. Graduate students can work with a wide variety of industrial-scale equipment including two Cray supercomputers; the 60 megajoule, nine megamp Balcones Homopolar Generator (HPG), which is the highest current-rated pulsed power supply in the world; and an industrial-size distillation and adsorption tower.

  The College's interdisciplinary research programs in computer engineering, manufacturing systems engineering, materials science and engineering, and microelectronics are housed at Balcones Research Center in a $22 million facility.

• Employment.

  As the need for technically educated professionals increases, an advanced degree in engineering provides additional career choices and more challenging assignments. The College's Career Assistance Center helps students with their job searches by offering individual career counseling. Both past and present students can receive information about resume writing, career options and job search techniques. Large companies seeking engineering graduates to fill positions worldwide schedule on-campus interviews through the Center.