UTSA launches chemical engineering degree program to fill an unmet need in south Texas
(Feb. 7, 2017) -- The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has launched a bachelor's degree program in chemical engineering to provide south Texans with greater access to top-tier engineering education.
A $1 million gift from The Klesse Foundation will help support the program, enabling the acquisition of new equipment, including a two story distillation column, and funding the newly created Margie and Bill Klesse Endowed Scholarship in Chemical Engineering.
UTSA's chemical engineering students will have the option to specialize in one of five areas: petroleum and energy systems, environmental engineering, materials engineering, bioengineering, or technology management.
"By offering a chemical engineering degree, we certainly fill that emphatic call for a program that is not readily available at many schools in this region," said JoAnn Browning, dean and David and Jennifer Spencer Distinguished Chair of the College of Engineering. "And also of note, we are offering a new degree that traditionally attracts more aspiring female engineers. This will allow us to make a tremendous impact on the percentage of women in STEM."
Women only make up about 20 percent of engineering enrollment across the country, whereas 35 percent of chemical engineering students are female. Browning also noted that chemical engineers address a broad range of issues that allow them to make a difference in their communities. Graduates of chemical engineering programs are highly sought-after in a wide variety of industries, including oil and gas, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals as well as environmental and materials engineering.
"Chemical engineers are in high in-demand in Texas and have a great positive impact on their environments. Our country needs more engineering and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving," said Bill Klesse, founder of The Klesse Foundation. "Chemical engineers' careers can go in many directions, including manufacturing industrial goods as well as the refining and petrochemical industries, to help make people's live better. We are very pleased to be able to support UTSA's new program to enhance our community with a new generation of talented, top-tier engineers."
Klesse, the former CEO of Valero Energy Corporation, and his wife, Margie Klesse, have a long history of supporting higher education. Over the past five years alone, they have supported the creation of a College of Engineering Scholarship, the Diamond Shamrock Legacy Endowed Scholarship for the College of Engineering and the Diamond Shamrock Legacy Endowed Scholarship for the College of Business.
"We will be providing very well-trained chemical engineers," said Ruyan Guo, Robert E. Clarke Endowed Professor and the new program's interim director. "This industry needs talented engineers and UTSA is the institution that will provide the best education to train these promising young students. By offering interdisciplinary knowledge, we'll allow them to explore and be creative with their training while developing their skills as leaders."
"Foremost in our mind is that this program is a critical piece in the puzzle for raising the educational profile of the region by providing a new and creative type of engineering training. And we can do this while we attract even greater diversity at UTSA," Browning said. "We are much better served when we have diversity in the classroom and the workplace."
UTSA has already received more than 70 applications to fill the 30 chemical engineering spots that are available in its fall 2017 entering class.
The UTSA College of Engineering is a major public provider of undergraduate and graduate engineering in South Texas with enrollment exceeding 3,300 students. The college has seen an unprecedented increase of more than 100 percent in graduate enrollment in the past few years and continues to grow steady with the mission to provide outstanding education and research opportunities and service to the region's multicultural community, the nation and beyond.
-------------------------------
Learn more about the UTSA Chemical Engineering Program.
Learn more about the UTSA College of Engineering.
Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Events
In partnership with Metro Health, HCAP will host a lecture discussing the life and body of work of Dr. Fernando Guerra, longtime director of the Metropolitan Health District.
Buena Vista Theater, Downtown CampusJoin our team to reflect on the students’ achievements and challenges during the semester and explore techniques, strategies, and tools to address growth mindset, self-reliance, and what it takes to keep students committed and on the path to success
Multidisciplinary Studies (MS 240) and VirtualThis course will introduce you to this popular graduate program, providing a review of UTSA’s Employee Educational Benefit program and MPA info. Free lunch will be provided!
Mesquite Living Lab, 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 is a party with a purpose! The annual art-focused fundraising celebration provides operating support for UTSA Arts, which is dedicated to community arts education for children and adults, public-facing performances and exhibitions, and arts-based research and partnerships to enhance the accessibility of the arts for the public.
UTSA Southwest, 300 Augusta, San Antonio TX 78205This year’s UEA ceremony will be an in-person event that will take place from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 25 in the H-E-B Student Union Ballrooms (HSU 1.104/1.106) on the UTSA Main Campus. The ceremony will feature UTSA President Taylor Eighmy, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Andrews Espy, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Myron Anderson, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Business Affairs Veronica Salazar and representatives from Staff and Faculty Senate.
H-E-B Student Union Ballrooms (HSU 1.104/1.106), Main CampusSan Antonio’s treasured Asian Festival returns on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Downtown Campus. In observance of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month the one-day performance, entertainment, and food event will celebrate the diverse Asian diaspora represented in South Texas and San Antonio. Come and enjoy one of San Antonio’s premier family-friendly events, with hands-on activities and opportunities to learn through experience.
UTSA Downtown Campus