- Cockrell School of Engineering
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Established 1894 Official name The Cockrell School of Engineering University University of Texas at Austin School type Public Endowment $144 million Dean Gregory L. Fenves Faculty 270 Undergraduates 5,765 Graduates 2,035 Location Austin, Texas, USA Elevation 530ft msl 
Robert Lee Moore Hall, Engineering Science Building, and Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall as seen from east of the campus.
The Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin has more than 7,800 students enrolled in nine undergraduate degrees and thirteen graduate programs. The college is ranked sixth in the world according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities[1] and eighth nationally by U.S. News & World Report,[2] while all graduate programs are ranked in the top twenty nationally.[3] With annual research expenditures of over $150 million and the fourth largest number of faculty in the National Academy of Engineering,[4][5] the Cockrell School of Engineering is highly respected worldwide.
Previously known as the College of Engineering, on July 11, 2007, The University of Texas at Austin renamed the College after 1936 graduate Ernest Cockrell Jr., whose family has over the past 30 years helped to build a $140 million endowment for the College.[6]
Contents
Undergraduate departments
College of Engineering undergraduate departments. Rankings, in parentheses, taken from the 2010 edition of U.S. News & World Report unless otherwise specified.
- Overall:11th*
- Aerospace (8th)*
- Architectural (1st)*
- Biomedical (19th)
- Chemical (5th)*
- Civil (4th)*
- Computer (7th)*
- Electrical/Electronic (10th)
- Environmental (4th)*
- Materials (18th)
- Mechanical (9th)*
- Petroleum/Geosystems (1st)
*from 2011 edition of US News and World Report
Graduate departments
Overall: 8th [7]
- Petroleum Engineering (1st)
- Civil Engineering (3rd)
- Environmental Engineering (4th)
- Architectural Engineering (2nd)
- Chemical Engineering (7th)
- Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering (10th)
- Computer Engineering (9th)
- Electrical/Electronic Engineering (9th)
- Mechanical Engineering (11th)
- Biomedical Engineering (17th)
Traditions
The Ramshorn
The Ramshorn is one of the most prominent symbols associated with the College of Engineering. Its origins as such can be traced back to over a century ago, when T.U. Taylor, the first engineering faculty member and first dean of the College, began drawing the elaborate checkmark on students' work. A mark reserved for perfect papers, Taylor overheard a student remark he had received a "ramshorn" in 1905, from which the symbol took on its current interpretation and significance. For current engineering students, it is a reminder of the high quality standards associated with all UT Austin engineers, past and present.
Alexander Frederick Claire
Alec is one of the most well-known traditions known of the College of Engineering. Over nearly 100 years, Alec has had his share of adventures; however, his beginnings as the patron saint of the College came as the byproduct of the efforts of a group of clever, mischievous sophomore engineers back in 1908.
Joe H. Gill and his engineering friends thoughtfully considered how to make a holiday of April Fool's Day. After an unsuccessful attempt involving tying cans around dogs' tails and releasing them to disrupt class, the group of students saw a wooden statue about five feet high while getting refreshments, which they requested to borrow. The next day, Gill presented the statue as their patron saint and traced his ancestry back to ancient times between classes. The presentation successfully broke up classes, and led to his christening as Alexander Frederick Claire, patron saint of UT engineers, exactly one year later. Alec was at the center of a friendly rivalry between law and engineering students for many years, and was subject to numerous escapades such as kidnappings and amputations. Today, what is left of the original wooden statue is safely preserved in the engineering library.
Every year, engineering groups on campus build new Alecs which are then voted on by the students. The winner is announced on April 1 during Alec's birthday party.
Notable faculty
- John B. Goodenough, responsible for research leading to creation of lithium-ion battery
- Hans Mark, former Secretary of the Air Force and Deputy Administrator of NASA
- Yale Patt, inventor of the WOS module, the first complex logic gate implemented on a single piece of silicon
- Ilya Prigogine, recipient of 1977 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contributions to non-equilibrium thermodynamics
- Mary Wheeler, for contributions on numerical solutions to partial differential equations
- Larry Lake, for contributions on enhanced oil recovery, reservoir engineering, reservoir characterization and simulation
- Kamy Sepehrnoori for simulation of enhanced oil recovery; computational methods; vector and parallel computations; applied mathematics; subsurface remediation modeling; data bases
- Carlos Torres-Verdin for contributions to geophysics, petrophysics and formation evaluation
- Mukul Sharma for contributions to formation damage, petrophysics and fluid flow in porous media.
- Gary Pope for contributions to reservoir engineering, reservoir simulation and enhanced oil recovery
- Russell Johns for contributions to thermodynamics, phase behaviour and fluid properties
- Steven Bryant for contributions to groundwater modeling, and petrophysics
- Quoc Nguyen for contributions to nanoparticles, smart wells and chemical enhanced oil recovery
Student Organizations
The Cockrell School of Engineering is home to over 60 student organizations that offer a wide variety of student groups that provide professional development, service, and social opportunities. [8]
- The Student Engineering Council (SEC) is the umbrella organization of all the engineering student organizations, with over thirty engineering organizations affiliated. The SEC is responsible for appropriating thousands of dollars to engineering student organization initiatives, and running the Fall Engineering EXPO, which is the 2nd largest student-run career fair in the United States.
- The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AICHE) is the primary professional student organization within the Chemical Engineering Department at the University.
- The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is the primary professional student organization within the Civil Engineering Department at the University.
- The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is the primary professional student organization within the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University.
- The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the primary professional student organization within the Electrical Engineering Department at the University.
- The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) is the primary professional student organization within the Petroleum Engineering Department at the University.
- The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) are two professional student organizations who represent minority student engineers at the University.
- The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a professional student organization who represents women engineers at the University.
External links
References
- ^ "ARWU 2010 Engineering/Technology and Computer Sciences". http://www.arwu.org/FieldENG2010.jsp. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/spec-doct-engineering
- ^ http://www.engr.utexas.edu/graduate/programs
- ^ "Cockrell School of Engineering Facts & Figures". http://www.engr.utexas.edu/about/facts. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
- ^ "Cockrell School of Engineering Research". http://www.engr.utexas.edu/research. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
- ^ http://www.engr.utexas.edu/news/articles/200707111284/index.cfm
- ^ http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/rankings
- ^ http://www.engr.utexas.edu/studentlife/learn
Categories:- Engineering universities and colleges in Texas
- University of Texas at Austin schools, colleges, and departments
- Educational institutions established in 1894
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