This has been a challenging year for us all. Together, we have overcome many hurdles and made many changes. While we may have stumbled at times, we have become all the stronger for it.
Ocean engineers must be ready to handle both rough waves and calm seas — metaphorically and literally. Adaptability, resourcefulness and resiliency are skills honed by former students and taught to currents students in the Department of Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University.
As we enter a new normal, the world looks to the oceans for a sustainable source of food and energy and to spur economic growth. The rise of the blue economy has reinvigorated interest in ocean-based technologies and stewardship of ocean and coastal ecosystems. An ocean engineering degree provides our students with a broader set of career opportunities than ever before. Ocean robotics, autonomous underwater vehicles, offshore renewables, and coastal and deep-sea infrastructure development are some of the emerging areas in which the new generation of engineers can make a significant impact.
As our students face growing challenges and opportunities, their educational experience has evolved to include innovative engineering instruction with novel laboratory and field experiments. Throughout these changes, the department continues to be involved in fundamental research, developing technology in partnership with industry, and serving the public in ocean-related planning and policy development.
Along this same line, we have grown our 30-credit Master of Science in Ocean Engineering engineering degree program in Galveston. This nonthesis degree program can be completed by full-time students in one calendar year while also allowing working professionals to complete the program at their own pace.
As one of our former students, Arun Duggal ’92, said in our inaugural departmental industry panel, “The ocean engineering program provides you a foundation. You, as a person, get to figure out how to use it based on your interests and where the industry leads you.”
Sincerely,
Sharath Girimaji
Department Head; Holder of Wofford Cain Chair II
Joint Faculty – Professor, Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
Chief Scientist – ASTRO Center
Faculty Advisor – High Altitude Balloon Club