THIS YEAR SO FAR

The Cockrell School of Engineering has yet again had an incredible year, pushing forward in the midst of the continued COVID-19 pandemic. From breakthrough research, awards and honors, student innovations and much more, 2021 is another one for the books.

Research by UT engineers and scientists played a major role in the development of multiple COVID-19 vaccines based on several previous years of work on coronaviruses.

Read about more of our world-changing work on therapeutics in this issue »

Associate professor Moriba Jah, one of the nation’s go-to space environmentalists, added a new title to his resume: Chief Scientific Advisor for Privateer, a company led by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak

2021 Leadership Changes

Sharon L. Wood, who served as Cockrell School Dean for eight years, was named UT Executive Vice President and Provost.

Roger T. Bonnecaze, who previously served as chair of the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and has been on UT faculty since 1993, is serving as Interim Dean of the Cockrell School.

Learn more about Dean Bonnecaze in this issue’s Q&A »

Donald Siegel is the new chair of the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, joining UT this fall from the University of Michigan.

After a year and a half working and learning remotely, Longhorns returned to campus this fall. In this issue, see the sights and hear the sounds of back-to-campus life.

UT was named among the biggest “rising stars” in materials science by Nature Index, with the Cockrell School at the center of materials excellence.

When the now infamous winter storm hit Texas in February, knocking out electricity, heat and water to millions in the state, top Cockrell School energy experts Joshua Rhodes and Michael Webber were tapped by major media outlets for their insight into what could have happened:

First-year student Siddharth Thakur created a firefighting robot.

Commencement looked a little different, as spring 2021 graduates walked across the stage in the atrium of the Engineering Education and Research Center during the school’s Graduate Recognition Moments.

Students walking across stage in the EER at the 2021 Graduation Recognition Moment

Faculty members continue to be recognized for their contributions and leadership. Here are just a few:

V. Sreenivasan was elected to the National Academy of Engineering
Lizy K. John and Van Truskett were named fellows of the National Academy of Inventors
Guihua Yu received the 2021 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Engineering from TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas)
Nicholas Peppas received the 2021 Global Leader Award from the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
Maša Prodanović received the Alfred Wegener Award from the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers

With the Texas Innovation Center,

the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Initiative held the inaugural Female Founders Pitch Competition for UT women-led startups, with many of the winning teams coming from the Cockrell School community.

Over a hundred people tuned in to the Cockrell School’s Black alumni panel,

held in celebration of Black History Month and featuring alumni Tejuana Edmond, Milton Lee and Dr. Chad Wilson.

Led by professor Janet Ellzey, the Cockrell School’s humanitarian engineering program for students will expand in new partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

For yet another year, Texas Engineers launch and help lead new research centers and endeavors:

Students in the Texas Rocket Engineering Lab successfully completed their liquid hot-fire test of their industrial-scale, liquid bi-propellant rocket, Halcyon.

THIS YEAR SO FAR

Research by UT engineers and scientists played a major role in the development of multiple COVID-19 vaccines based on several previous years of work on coronaviruses.

Associate professor Moriba Jah, one of the nation’s go-to space environmentalists, added a new title to his resume: Chief Scientific Advisor for Privateer, a company led by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak

2021 Leadership Changes

After a year and a half working and learning remotely, Longhorns returned to campus this fall. In this issue, see the sights and hear the sounds of back-to-campus life.

UT was named among the biggest “rising stars” in materials science by Nature Index, with the Cockrell School at the center of materials excellence.

When the now infamous winter storm hit Texas in February, knocking out electricity, heat and water to millions in the state, top Cockrell School energy experts Joshua Rhodes and Michael Webber were tapped by major media outlets for their insight into what could have happened:

The Washington Post

The New York Times

The Wall Street Journal

Bloomberg Green