Engineered for… For what? For anything you want! No matter who you are, where you’re from, or what you want to do, The University of Texas at Arlington’s (UTA) College of Engineering has a place for you. You belong here, and you’re free to pursue your interests, no matter what they are.
The college offers the most comprehensive engineering programme in North Texas, with 11 baccalaureate, 13 master’s and nine doctoral degree programmes. Students from over 70 countries across the globe work with award-winning faculty in state-of-the-art facilities, acquiring the knowledge and skills they’ll need to create viable solutions to the most pressing problems of today and the future.
UTA is classified as a Research 1 University – Highest Research Activity by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and has met the requirements for inclusion in the National Research University Fund from the state of Texas. The College of Engineering plays a large role in those designations with annual research expenditures in excess of US$40 million, which accounts for the majority of research at the university.
Overall engineering-related research expenditures for the university are more than US$55 million. The college hosts interdisciplinary research centres in aerodynamics, photonics, water and transportation, to name a few. Graduate students are integral to this research, with undergraduate students encouraged to participate, as the college supports funded research experiences for undergraduates each year.
Here, graduate students are excellent. They have won countless awards, represented the college well at high-level conferences and gone on to excellent careers in industry and academia.
Current students have earned National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, a Tau Beta Pi Fellowship and internships at Tesla, Yahoo, Facebook and other major companies.
“The university is situated right in the middle of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and is surrounded by numerous engineering firms and big-name technical companies,” shares Allison Osmanson, a doctoral student in the Materials Science and Engineering Department. “I am fortunate to be in a unique position where I can communicate with industrial liaisons and foster strong relationships while producing excellent research, thanks to the connections of my research advisor and UTA’s prime location.”
She earned a prestigious Semiconductor Research Corporation Fellowship, which gives her access to two Texas Instruments employees who serve as technical advisors for her research. “This gives me more in-depth knowledge of where industry is headed and helps me shape my study to best match industry interests,” adds Osmanson.
The College of Engineering has plenty of opportunities for students to explore their innovative and entrepreneurial interests. It makes sure that students have experiences in real-world situations before they graduate through senior design capstone courses and a robust internship/co-op programme. Student entrepreneurs have an opportunity to win substantial seed funding for their fledgling companies in the Maverick Pitch Competition each year, with winners earning the opportunity to win further funding in later rounds of the competition.
Isabella Reyna, a student in the Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering Department, completed three supply chain management co-ops with Toyota Motor North America while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. “My co-ops gave me the opportunity to meet some amazing people and apply what I learned in school to real-world challenges,” she explains. “UTA also provided me with an opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship.”
In an engineering entrepreneurship class, she worked with and learned from students in the College of Business and competed in the UTA Maverick Business Pitch Competition. “As someone with a passion for entrepreneurship, I thoroughly enjoyed learning how to navigate the patent process and create a business plan,” shares Reyna.
Since 2018, the college has added four makerspaces just for engineering students, in addition to the university library’s FabLab, which occupies an entire floor of the library building. The college makerspaces feature power tools and specialised equipment such as 3D printers and laser cutters that are necessary for students to complete projects for their courses or to create prototypes for their own ideas.
“UTA and the College of Engineering have opened so many opportunities to grow and learn concepts that I would never encounter on my own,” enthuses Jordan Baker, an Electrical Engineering student. “Seeing the ambition and skills of those around me pushes me to grow my own skills and knowledge.”
The interdisciplinary research has allowed him to adjust his perspective and think in ways that never occurred to him before. “Collaboration truly brings out the best in us and establishes bonds that we will never forget,” shares Baker.
Each year, the college hosts Innovation Day, which celebrates and showcases the innovative, transformative research and undergraduate capstone projects done by engineering students. Community members and industry leaders are invited to participate and observe the depth and breadth of research occurring here, and several judges take part from around the world.
“The College of Engineering gave me the tools to express my imagination and come up with such fun and incredible applications. The opportunities are endless!” exclaims Rajvi Tiwari, a recent graduate of the Computer Science and Engineering Department who accepted a position as a software engineer at Microsoft after graduation. “The College provides a very well-rounded experience for its students.”
As future professionals in the tech industry, this holistic development is the key to long-term success. As a student, Tiwari was surrounded by excellent professors who instilled a deep appreciation for computer science within her, while providing mentorship and leadership opportunities to enhance those skills. Shewas also selected as one of the 1,000 Forbes Under 30 scholars around the world for 2019 and the résumé she built at UTA was key to achieving this.
If all of this appeals to you, check out the campus on the College of Engineering Virtual Tour and apply for admission!
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