Reflections: UTSA Engineering celebrates 30 years of teaching, research
(Dec. 3, 2012) -- 2012 marks the 30th anniversary of the UTSA engineering program, one that has changed the face of UTSA and put San Antonio on the map in attracting industry. In 1982, engineering split from the College of Sciences and Mathematics to become its own division, and, for the first time, the university offered a four-year, undergraduate engineering degree.
Today, the UTSA College of Engineering is the fastest growing engineering program in Texas and is making great strides in providing world-class education and research opportunities to the region's multicultural community and beyond.
Civil engineering professor Alberto Arroyo and mechanical engineering professor Amir Karimi led the first engineering classes on the UTSA campus in 1982 and are still on the faculty today.
"I have devoted the last 30 years to my students and to the development of the engineering program," said Arroyo. "I feel proud to have been part of a group of pioneering faculty who were able to envision and plan the creation of the graduate programs and change our university from a teaching institution to a research institution."
"Graduates of the engineering program have made major contributions to the economic development of the San Antonio region, the state and the nation," said Karimi. "It is a great joy to see that your former students have succeeded in their professional careers."
Mario Gonzalez played an integral role in the engineering division's formative years as its first director. "There were so many outstanding faculty then, just as there are now." reflects Gonzalez. "UTSA has grown enormously. Without engineering, the university would not be what it is today."
Current dean C. Mauli Agrawal is similarly proud of the accomplishments of the college and is focused on leading UTSA toward Tier One status. In fact, Agrawal was recently appointed to a new UT System Task Force on Engineering Education for Texas in the 21st Century that will determine the current state of engineering degree programs in Texas, study current and future demand for engineers, and identify strategies that will foster student success in the field of engineering while supporting the economic growth across the state.
The San Antonio metro area is one of the fastest growing in the nation and with growth comes demand for engineers from various disciplines.
"There is no question that Texas leads the country in economic strength and San Antonio plays a large part in this," said Agrawal. "It is important that UTSA develops highly capable engineering leaders to meet not only the demand created from new business, but also to create a lasting impact to our community's quality of life."
>> Read more about the UTSA College of Engineering's 30-year history in the anniversary issue of "Innovations."
Events
The UTSA Office of Undergraduate is proud to celebrate National Undergraduate Research with an annual event sponsored by the (OUR) featuring students will showcase undergraduate student research and creative endeavors from all disciplines across campus.
Various LocationsAsian Fanfair is an event that highlights our APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) identities on campus. The event will feature performances from our AAPI interest Student Organizations, a tabling fair, and some cultural cuisine.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusJoin us for a day dedicated to supporting and empowering our UTSA veterans! We're excited to announce our upcoming resource fair, designed specifically to ensure that our veteran students have access to the resources and networking opportunities they need to thrive in their academic and post-military lives.
Student Union Lawn, Main CampusThis workshop will introduce participants to the basics of text analysis using Python and Jupyter Notebook on the Constellate Lab platform. We will create datasets in Constellate to analyze patterns, trends, and relationships of contents and more.
John Peace Library (JPL 3.02.32), Main CampusWhat would award-winning writing professor Diane Abdo say if it were her last lecture? Join us for our annual Last Lecture series on Wednesday April 17.
Multipurpose Room (BSE 2.102), Main CampusDía en la Sombrilla, formerly Fiesta UTSA, is a festival hosted each spring as a part of Fiesta® San Antonio events. Sponsored by Roadrunner Productions, the event features music, food, confetti, games, event t-shirts, and more.
Sombrilla Plaza and Central Plaza, Main CampusFiesta Arts Fair features contemporary art from more than 100 artists from across the U.S., Fiesta favorite foods, drinks, live music by local and regional performers, and a Young Artists Garden providing opportunities for budding artists to learn, explore and express their creativity.
UTSA Southwest Campus