News & Features
$4.2 Million Investment from NSF Boosts Hazards Engineering Research at UT Austin
NSF renews support for the Cockrell School of Engineering at UT Austin to house one of seven, state-of-the-art, experimental natural hazards research facilities.
Professor Bill O'Brien Elected to National Academy of Construction
The National Academy of Construction has elected William J. O'Brien, professor and associate chair for architectural engineering in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, as a new member of its 2020 class.
CAEE Industry Open House Fall 2020
CAEE Welcomes New Faculty Member Matt Bartos
Matt Bartos is the department's new Environmental and Water Resources Engineering assistant professor.
August 27, 2020
Matt Bartos will join the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin as an assistant professor in our Environmental and Water Resources Engineering group in January 2021.
Matt Bartos obtained his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at the University of Michigan. He holds a B.S.E. in Environmental Engineering and a B.A. in English Literature from Arizona State University. He also holds an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Matt’s research focuses on building a new generation of smart stormwater systems. These systems use real-time sensing and control to deliver improved performance and mitigate water hazards. Major areas of interest include urban flood mitigation; sensing and control of urban water quality; digital twin models for water infrastructure; and coupled operation of interdependent water, power and transportation systems.
"It's a huge honor to join the faculty team at UT Austin. I can't think of a better place to start a research program focused on smart civil infrastructure. I'm looking forward to inspiring a new generation of engineers to build the cities of the future!" said Bartos.
CAEE Welcomes New Faculty Member Sergio Castellanos
Sergio Castellanos is the department's new assistant professor.
September 10, 2020
Dr. Sergio Castellanos will join the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin as an assistant professor in January 2021.
Dr. Castellanos received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Arizona. He completed his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Photovoltaics Research Laboratory.
His research focuses on analyzing pathways for decarbonizing the electrical grid and studying how equitable are the policies and deployment strategies for technologies that can get us to net-zero-emissions economies.
“I am excited to be joining the CAEE Department at UT Austin and engage with its amazing faculty and student body in tackling energy-related challenges in the electrical grid and transportation systems. I look forward to exploring these issues beyond the US and in emerging economies,” said Castellanos.
CAEE Welcomes New Faculty Member Francisca Aroso Pinto de Oliveira
Francisca Aroso Pinto de Oliveira is the department's new Assistant Professor of Practice.
August 27, 2020
Francisca Aroso joined the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austinas an Assistant Professor of Practice this summer to develop the new ARE 217 course that will be offered to all CE and ARE majors.
Dr. Aroso is an architect with expertise in Digital Design and Fabrication, Parametric Design, and Biomimetics. She holds a Ph.D. in Architectural Design from the Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA) and The Open University (OU) in London. She has a Master’s Degree in Advanced Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IaaC) in Barcelona, and a B.A. in Architecture from ESAP, Porto. At CAEE, Aroso will be teaching Computer Aided Design and Graphics.
Having worked at the FabLab BCN and the AA’s Digital Prototyping Lab, Francisca was also part of the curatorial team of “FULL PRINT 3D’” at the DHUB Design Museum in Barcelona. She is a registered architect in Portugal, and has been a lecturer at UT’s School of Architecture since 2014, where she has been recognized with 2018-19 SOA Commencement Award for Outstanding Teaching. Dr. Aroso was also the founder of m|use a custom-made jewelry company, and worked with multiple architecture firms in Portugal, Spain and the United States.
Arso said “I am interested in exploring the conceptual and material opportunities that emerge from the use of digital design and fabrication technologies for the design and production of architecture. I am inspired by nature through the study of Biomimetics and its application to the design process, as well as investigating the way in which technology (CNC machines and rapid prototyping techniques) influences the way in which one conceives, thinks, and builds architecture.”