JUNE 5, 2023 — UTSA is launching a doctoral program in the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design (Klesse College). Students will be able to enroll in the PhD in chemical engineering program in August 2023 pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
A generous $500,000 gift from Margie and Bill Klesse laid the groundwork for the creation of this doctoral program. It will support graduate fellowships and experiential learning opportunities that will prepare students to be leaders in chemical engineering.
With a strong commitment to the prosperity of students, STEM programs and the city of San Antonio, Margie and Bill Klesse have a long history of giving to the university, dating back to 1995. The pair was instrumental in helping UTSA launch its undergraduate degree program in chemical engineering with a $1 million gift that established the Klesse Unit Operations Laboratory in 2017
The Klesses also committed a transformational $20 million gift to the university, resulting in the naming of the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design. The historic gift is advancing student success through the creation of new endowments for student scholarships, faculty support and programs to promote student success.
“Margie and I are proud to support the very bright, diverse and ambitious students at UTSA and are very pleased to see the new doctoral program in chemical engineering come to fruition,” said Bill Klesse. “Students in this doctoral program will become experts in their area of study in chemical engineering and will have the skills and education to solve the challenges facing the world and helping to develop a more sustainable future. We appreciate and thank the University of Texas System for approving this degree program for UTSA and South Texas.”
Klesse College leaders see the Ph.D. program as the next step in elevating UTSA as a destination for excellence.
“Gaining a PhD program in chemical engineering in the Klesse College at UTSA is incredibly important to our faculty and students,” said JoAnn Browning, UTSA interim vice president for Research, Economic Development and the Knowledge Enterprise and former dean of the Klesse College. “It enables our faculty to perform the highest level of research in fields that cross the energy, materials, bioengineering and environmental disciplines. And, it provides more pathways for our students to realize their dreams of becoming experts in these important areas.”
The Klesse College offers eight certificate programs, nine undergraduate programs, 15 master’s programs and, with this new addition, six doctoral programs. Of the nearly 4,300 students in the Klesse College, 158 are currently enrolled in the undergraduate chemical engineering program.
“The PhD program will allow us to continue to grow the impact of research and educational programs from UTSA in areas critical to South Texas and the nation,” said Eric Brey, interim dean of the Klesse College and the Edward E. Whitacre, Jr. Endowed Chair in Mechanics. “Our chemical engineering faculty are performing outstanding research and will be able to train future leaders in this competitive and necessary field of study.”
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
The UTSA Office of Undergraduate is proud to celebrate National Undergraduate Research with an annual event sponsored by the (OUR) featuring students will showcase undergraduate student research and creative endeavors from all disciplines across campus.
Various LocationsDía 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 features contemporary art from more than 100 artists from across the U.S., Fiesta favorite foods, drinks, live music by local and regional performers, and a Young Artists Garden providing opportunities for budding artists to learn, explore and express their creativity.
UTSA Southwest CampusJoin the PEACE Center and Wellbeing Services for Denim Day, a day of learning about the importance of consent and why we wear denim on the last Wednesday of the month each April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stop by our Denim Day display to take a photo in front of our Denim Wall, spin the "Is It Consent?" Wheel, and get a Concha or goodie.
Student Union Window Lounge, Main CampusLearn to use Zotero®, a citation manager that can help you store and organize citations you find during your research. Zotero can generate bibliographies in various styles, insert in-text citations and allow you to share sources with collaborators.
Virtual EventThis event is to achnowlege the graduating seniors and induct the new cohart of scholars to our program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140,) Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
AlamodomeThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
