By News and Internal Communications

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – JULY 27, 2023 – The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) today approved the first Ph.D. program for the UTRGV College of Engineering and Computer Science. 

The new Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Materials Science and Engineering is the ninth doctoral program to be approved for the university since its inception in 2015, and the seventh to be implemented in the past two years. 

Overall, the new program bumps the number of Ph.D. degrees at UTRGV to 13. 

UTRGV President Guy Bailey said this latest program approval once again shows the university’s unwavering commitment to expanding academic offerings in the Rio Grande Valley. 

“I’ve long believed that the Valley’s top export is not citrus, but people,” Bailey said. “We lose a lot of smart, talented people to other areas of the state simply because they find opportunities not currently available in our region. 

“UTRGV is trying to change that by expanding our academic offerings. That not only will keep the best and brightest students closer to home, but also put them in thriving careers after they graduate,” he said.

Doctoral-level programs approved since UTRGV opened its doors in 2015 include:

• Doctor of Medicine (Fall 2016).
• Ph.D. Clinical Psychology (Fall 2018).
• Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Fall 2021).
• Ph.D. Mathematics and Statistics with Interdisciplinary Applications (Fall 2021).
• Ph.D. Physics (Spring 2022).
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (Fall 2022).
• Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (Fall 2022).
• Ph.D. Human Genetics (Fall 2022).
• Ph.D. Materials Science (Fall 2023).

The new program was designed by a team of faculty members from the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the College of Sciences, led by Dr. Karen Lozano, professor of Mechanical Engineering and the Julia Beecherl Endowed Professor. Developed to provide opportunities for students to obtain a broad background in theoretical and experimental materials science and engineering, the program will also highlight the study of nanofibers, an area in which UTRGV has unique worldwide expertise thanks to the leadership and innovation of Lozano.

“The approval of the first Ph.D. program in the College of Engineering and Computer Science means opportunities and a wave of development for new technologies to improve opportunities for our Hispanic students and the educational and economic growth in South Texas,” said Lozano.

Lozano recently was elected into the prestigious National Academy of Engineering. In 2019, the White House named Lozano one of 15 recipients nationwide of the Presidential Excellence Awards in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. And earlier this month, the Carnegie Corp. of New York named Lozano to its “Great Immigrant, Great American” list, one of 35 naturalized citizens whose contributions and actions have enriched society and democracy.

With the new graduate degree, students can apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems in a wide variety of fields including energy, medicine, structural, biotechnology, information technology, electronics, manufacturing and others. 

A main objective of the program is to diversify the scientific and engineering workforce by preparing students from underrepresented groups, most notably Hispanic students from South Texas, for a variety of careers in scientific and engineering institutions, industry, federal agencies and higher education. 

“Today is a historic day for our college and university. Right here in the Rio Grande Valley, our students can now pursue not only a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science, but also a Ph.D. in Engineering. They deserve this remarkable opportunity,” Ala Qubbaj, dean, UTRGV College of Engineering and Computer Science, said. “This historic accomplishment reflects the collective success of our faculty, staff and students, both past and present.”

The Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering incorporates coursework and activities to equip graduates with the skills and understanding of proper procedures to be effective teachers and research mentors, ensuring they have experience in teaching, classroom technology, research grant proposal development, and strategies to build effective research teams that integrate undergraduate students in research activities. 

The new program is pending approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states.

UTRGV currently is developing additional doctoral programs in the following areas of study:

• Doctor of Pharmacy.
• Doctor of Optometry.
• Doctor of Physical Therapy.
• Ph.D. Computer Science.
• Ph.D. Integrated Life Sciences.

To learn more about the UTRGV College of Engineering and Computer Science and its degree program offerings, visit www.utrgv.edu/cecs/index.htm.