headshot of Sharon Wood

Sharon L. Wood, Department Chair

7 February 2013

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) announced today that one professor and two alumni from the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin have been elected as members.

Sharon L. Wood, chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, Rex W. Tillerson (BSCE 1975), chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corp., and Gregory G. Deierlein (PhD 1988), John A. Blume Professor at Stanford University are among the 69 new members and 11 foreign associates to join the academy this year.

Election to the NAE is among the highest professional distinctions bestowed upon an engineer. Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to “engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature, and to the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.”

This year’s election brings membership to the academy to 2,250 members in the United States and 211 foreign associates. A list of the newly elected members and foreign associate fellows can be found at www.nae.edu.

Sharon L. Wood  

Robert L. Parker, Sr. Centennial Professor in Engineering and Department Chair

Sharon L. Wood was recognized for her design of reinforced concrete structures and associated seismic instrumentation for extreme loadings and environment. She is the first woman in the area of structural engineering to become a member of the NAE.

Rex W. Tillerson (BSCE 1975)

Chairman and CEO, Exxon Mobil Corp.

Rex W. Tillerson was recognized for engineering leadership in the production of hydrocarbons in remote and challenging environments. Tillerson has been a member of the Cockrell School’s Engineering Advisory Board for the past six years and is a member of the UT Development Board and the CAEE Academy of Distinguished Alumni.

Gregory G. Deierlein (PhD 1988)

John A. Blume Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University

Gregory Deierlein was recognized for the development of advanced structural analysis and design techniques and their implementation in design codes.

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