Online Programs

Texas Tech Engineering Online Programs Ranked #2 for Veterans,
Listed as #6 With the Most International Students

Texas Tech University was recently ranked second among the “Best Online Graduate Engineering Programs for Veterans” by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings, now in their second year, were designed to help veterans identify high-quality online degree programs that suit their educational needs. The college's programs are also listed as number six among U.S. News' "10 Online Engineering Schools With the Most International Students."

The rankings methodology for the veteran rankings requires participation in four key programs, including that they are certified for the GI Bill; participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program or public institutions that charge in-state tuition for all out-of-state veterans; affiliated with schools that are members of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium; and offer at least one course in the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) catalog.

“I am very pleased that the efforts of our faculty and staff are being recognized for the quality online programs they provide.” said Al Sacco Jr., dean of the Whitacre College of Engineering. “It is especially satisfying that we are recognized for helping to educate our nation’s veterans who have served and our serving our country. Texas Tech appreciates the service of these men and women, and this recognition emphasizes that we are truly a veteran friendly educational institution.”

All schools evaluated in this ranking must have been awarded a numerical rank in the overall 2014 U.S. News Best Online Programs rankings, which were released earlier this year. Those programs were assessed for various factors, including affordability, faculty credentials, student services and reputation.

Whitacre

Ed, Linda Whitacre Give $15 Million for Graduate Fellowships

Texas Tech has announced a gift of $15 million for graduate student fellowships from alumnus Edward E. Whitacre Jr. and his wife, Linda. Whitacre is former chairman of the board and CEO of General Motors and chairman emeritus of AT&T.

The couple’s gift will establish the Ed and Linda Whitacre Graduate Fellowship Endowment and fund an estimated 30 doctoral fellows per year. The donation is eligible for state matching funds through the Texas Research Incentive Program (TRIP), which is expected to double the gift’s total impact on the university.

By supporting faculty research and conducting research of their own, graduate students make vital contributions to the research mission of Texas Tech University, which in turn drives economic and business development for Texas and the global economy. Doctoral fellowships from the Ed and Linda Whitacre Graduate Fellowship Endowment will rival stipends offered by other nationally-competitive awards, increasing the university’s ability to recruit top students and supporting Texas Tech University’s goal of becoming a national research university.

“Texas Tech has always had a special place in my heart,” Whitacre said. “Over the years, I’ve watched this great university grow and make tremendous strides. Linda and I are truly glad to give back to the university that gave so much to us, and want to give a special thanks to Kent Hance for the great job he has done as chancellor. We hope this gift will continue to move Texas Tech forward among the nation’s best universities.”

A native of Ennis, Texas, Whitacre received his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Texas Tech University. In 2008, Texas Tech recognized $25 million in contributions from AT&T and friends of Whitacre by naming the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering in his honor.

Society of Petroleum Engineers

SPE Chapter Earns Gold Standard Award

The Texas Tech University student chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has earned the Gold Standard Award for 2014 in recognition of its exceptional programs in industry engagement, operations and planning, community involvement, professional development and innovation. This is the third consecutive year that the chapter has been recognized with the Gold Standard Award by SPE.

Seven Students Receive Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowships

The Texas Tech University Graduate School has announced the inaugural recipients of the Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship Program. Nearly 30 graduate students will receive funding during the 2014-15 academic year. Seven students in the Whitacre College of Engineering received these fellowships.

Designed to increase the completion rate of doctoral students and enhance recruitment of new students, the Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship Program provides funding that allows students to dedicate all their time to completing their dissertation during the upcoming academic year.

Participants were selected based on the quality of their research summary, credentials, likelihood of completing their dissertation within 12 months, quality of training environment and mentoring plan, and the impact of the award on increasing the number of doctoral students. Students were each endorsed by their department or program chairs.

Whitacre College of Engineering Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship Recipients

Beruvides

Beruvides Elected to Teaching Academy Executive Council

Dr. Mario Beruvides, AT&T Professor of industrial engineering and member of the Texas Tech Teaching Academy, has been elected to serve as the Whitacre College of Engineering's representative on the Teaching Academy Executive Council. He will serve a three-year term.

The Executive Council is composed of 12 Teaching Academy members who are elected from the full membership of the Teaching Academy. The academy was formally inaugurated in 1997 to demonstrate, support, promote, and recognize teaching excellence at Texas Tech University.

Li

Li Receives ASEE Terman Award

Dr. Changzhi Li, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, has been named the 2014 recipient of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Frederick Emmons Terman Award.

The award, which was established in 1969, is bestowed annually upon an outstanding young electrical and computer engineering educator in recognition of the educator's contributions to the profession. Winners are recognized for achievements in teaching, research, guidance of students, and related activities. Sponsored by the Hewlett-Packard Company, the award will be presented at the 2014 Frontiers in Education Conference in October 2014 in Madrid, Spain.

Simon

Simon to receive NATAS Mettler Toledo Outstanding Achievement Award

Dr. Sindee Simon, Whitacre Department Chair in chemical engineering and P.W. Horn Professor, will receive the 2014 Mettler Toledo Outstanding Achievement Award from the North American Thermal Analysis Society (NATAS). The award, which is the highest award of the society, will be presented at the NATAS annual meeting in September 2014 in Santa Fe, N.M.

Sacco

Sacco Receives Honorary Doctorate

Dr. Al Sacco Jr., dean of the Whitacre College of Engineering, was awarded a doctorate Honoris Causa in Valparaiso, Chile by the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso (PUCV). The award, the highest degree that the institution confers, was granted during the institution's Inaugural Act of the Academic Year Ceremony on March 25, 2014.

Sacco was recognized for his scientific contributions – including more than two hundred publications, for his academic cultivation of undergraduate and graduate students for three decades, for his administrative leadership in higher education institutions, and for his outstanding efforts in STEM education and the promotion of the sciences, mathematics, biotechnology, and engineering. He was also recognized for his work as a role model for thousands of schoolchildren through presentations and participation in hundreds of conferences, his role as a consultant for business companies, and his scientific contributions as an astronaut on Space Shuttle Columbia Mission STS-73.

Sacco’s visit to the PUCV was part of the Whitacre College of Engineering’s efforts to broaden and strengthen international collaborations. The visit culminated with the planning of a dual degree program between PUCV and Texas Tech in engineering, along with preparations for future faculty collaborations and study abroad opportunities.

Gray

Gray's Artwork Featured on Texas Country Reporter

George Gray, an instructor of mechanical engineering, was recently featured on Texas Country Reporter, a weekly syndicated television program that airs on broadcast television across Texas.

His creative outlet and hobby is welded sculptures made from old mechanical machine components, which he calls "Up-cycled Steel Transformations." Gray takes these scrap components and reassembles them into significantly different configurations representing abstract visions and forms.

His artwork is available for viewing on his website at ironmongerartworks.com and the video interview is available through Texas Country Reporter's YouTube channel.

May 14 – June 12, 2014

* Primary Investigator

See a full listing of the college's events on the Engineering Master Calendar.

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