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Cullen College of Engineering
Fields of Study
The college has five departments: chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical and computer engineering, industrial engineering, and mechanical engineering.In addition to programs of study leading to degrees in these five fields, there are graduate-level interdisciplinary programs in aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, computer and systems engineering, environmental engineering, materials engineering, and petroleum engineering.
Chemical Engineering
The Department of Chemical Engineering has research programs in the areas of biochemical engineering, chemical reaction engineering, chemical vapor deposition, catalysis, colloid science, combinatorial chemistry, applied molecular biology, process control, interfacial phenomena, numerical simulation, molecular recognition, rheology, fluid flow and phase behavior in porous media, polymer and macromolecular solutions, processing of electronic materials, fuel cells, two-phase flow, solid-fluid separation, reliability theory, super-conductivity, thermochemical energy storage, and petroleum engineering.Facilities and equipment include an X-ray diffractometer with hot stage, a pulsed excimer-pumped dye laser, a quasi-elastic laser light scattering spectroscopy unit, and a Computerized Axial Tomographic Scanner (CATSCAN) system. In addition the department has laser anemometers, rheogoniometer, gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer system, ultraviolet spectrometers, microscope-video recorder and microscope-move camera systems, and automatic image analyzers. New facilities include systems for infrared thermal imaging, plasma processing and etching, semiconductor processing equipment, high pressure centrifuge for porous medium analysis, X-ray scattering equipment, advance rheometer, TGA/DSC, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, parallel array diagnostic equipment, polymer chain reactor devices, cell culture facilities and fluorimeters.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
The Environmental Engineering Program educates engineers in the design, operation, and advancement of water, wastewater, and soil treatment systems. In addition to these three focus areas, students are exposed to air quality engineering, water resources, and environmental law through alliances with other programs and universities in the area. Students may perform research on: ion exchange, adsorption, and membrane processes for water treatment; hydrologic modeling; natural attenuation, bioremediation, and risk assessment; fate and transport characteristics of hazardous wastes; biodeterioration of engineering materials.The Environmental Engineering Laboratories provide an excellent research and teaching environment. One is a large, 1900-sq ft laboratory for teaching and unit-operations research. Another large, 1200-sq ft instrumentation laboratory, a 280-sq ft mass spectroscopy laboratory space, and five 350-sq ft, two person research laboratories are available. Additional laboratory space in an adjacent building is used for hazardous materials research. UH is among the best-equipped academic environmental laboratories in the nation with instruments for organic, inorganic, microbiological and radiological, and particulate analysis.
Electrical and Computer Engineering
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers graduate study in the specialized fields of telecommunications, applied electromagnetics and antennas, biomedical engineering, computers, control systems, electron beams, high-temperature superconductivity devices, neural networks, nondestructive evaluation, pattern recognition, power systems, robotics, seismic exploration, signal and image processing, solid-state microelectronics, and well logging.The department has extensive research facilities for work in antenna measurements, biomedical engineering, digital systems, electron beam lithography, micro-electronics fabrication, microwaves, power systems, well logging applications, and other areas. A state-of-the-art Telecommunications Laboratory has recently been added to the department's facilities.
Industrial Engineering
The Department of Industrial Engineering offers graduate study with emphasis in five primary areas: manufacturing systems, distribution and logistics, operations research, management systems, and human factors/safety. Research within these areas encompasses such topics as simulation, logistics support, CAD/CAM, engineering management, single and multiple objective optimization, human factors/ergonomics, facilities layout, project management, resource constrained scheduling, and the automated factory.The department emphasizes the implementation of problem solving methodologies on the digital computer. Computational support for this includes personal computer laboratories, a number of dedicated workstations, and the university's mini and mainframe computer systems. In addition, the department has laboratories that support the teaching and research efforts in manufacturing systems, human factors, and ergonomics.
Mechanical Engineering
The Department of Mechanical Engineering has an active graduate program encompassing advanced study and research in the major areas of aerospace engineering, dynamics and controls, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, materials engineering, systems design, and mechanics.Current research activities cover aeroacoustics, turbulence and turbulent shear flows, computational fluid dynamics, solar energy utilization and collection, natural and forced convection, phase-change heat transfer cavitation, ultrasonics, acousto-optics, composite materials, and mechanical behavior of ceramics. Research is also being done in the areas of linear and nonlinear elasticity, fracture mechanics, rheology, continuum mechanics, structures and structural optimization, dynamics and control, design optimization, vibration and acoustic monitoring, metallurgy, processing of superconducting materials, nondestructive evaluation, thermodynamic properties, instrumentation, and measurement systems.
Interdisciplinary Programs
In addition to the departmental programs, there are several graduate-level programs open to qualified students from the life and physical sciences, mathematics, and computer science, as well as from engineering. All six interdisciplinary programs offer the Master of Science. The Doctor of Philosophy degree is offered in all interdisciplinary programs except biomedical and petroleum engineering.Aerospace Engineering
The Houston area is recognized nationally for the strength of its aerospace-oriented companies. This program is designed for those with an undergraduate degree in engineering or science who wish to further their education for a career in aerospace engineering. An introduction to new technology is available through course work and advanced independent research in areas of aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, thermal sciences, controls, orbital mechanics, structures, and advanced materials. The aerospace engineering program offers the opportunity for graduate study to those employed in this industry.Biomedical Engineering
The biomedical engineering program has two major functions. One is to provide students having nonengineering backgrounds with a solid and flexible basis in engineering and medical-related subjects. The other function is to provide engineers from the classical disciplines with the specialized training necessary to solve problems in medical research and clinical situations. Research opportunities are available on campus, at the Texas Medical Center, and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.Computer and Systems Engineering
Computer and systems engineering is a highly developed and effective approach to formulating and solving system analysis and design problems. Systems engineering methods are regularly employed in controlling dynamic systems; manufacturing goods; managing environmental resources; transporting matter, energy, and information; and in a wide variety of other endeavors. Systems engineers employ mathematical concepts at both the abstract and computational levels and use computers as efficient calculators, systems simulators, and integral system components.Environmental Engineering
Students in the environmental engineering program specialize in the design and/or operation of water and wastewater treatment systems. Although the major teaching and research efforts are concerned with water and wastewater treatment, allied programs in air pollution control and water resources are also offered in the college.Materials Engineering
The materials engineering program prepares engineers and scientists to meet the increasing demand for materials with unusual engineering properties and applications. The program provides an understanding of the methods used in the processing, characterization, control, and improvement of properties of engineering materials. This is achieved by addressing the most current and pressing problems in materials usage associated with thin films, solid state devices, fracture-safe design, elevated temperatures, aggressive environments, and nondestructive evaluation of flaws and residual stresses. Materials of special interest in the program include polymers, ceramics, composites, and high-temperature superconductors.Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum engineering combines geology, drilling engineering, and petrophysical logging methods to find and produce crude oil and gas from deposits deep under land and sea. Petroleum engineers design and operate surface facilities for drilling and for preparation of oil and gas for shipment to refiners and markets. They test to determine the predominant natural forces causing production in each deposit and apply principles of chemical engineering in devising processes for increasing recovery efficiency. Economics, safety, and environmental protection are essential aspects of all these activities.