Michael Evan Webber
Assistant Professor and Associate Director
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy
Phone:(512) 475-6867
Email:webber@mail.utexas.edu
Dr. Webber's Web site
Dr. Michael Webber earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering with a minor in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 2001. He joined the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin in 2006 after studying innovation and energy at the RAND Corporation and working as a Senior Scientist at Pranalytica. He is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering where he trains a new generation of energy leaders through research and education via the Webber Energy Group. He is also associate director of the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy, which seeks to inform the energy and environmental policy-making process with scientific and engineering expertise.
Dr. Webber has led research projects for policy issues relevant to energy, innovation and national security. He has commercial experience at a start-up where he invented cutting-edge laser-based gas-sensing instrumentation for homeland security, industrial and environmental monitoring applications. While at Stanford, he developed diode laser-based gas sensors for applications such as monitoring environmental emissions, analyzing space station bioreactors and optimizing combustion. Webber has published over 20 peer-reviewed scientific articles and has been awarded four patents. A highly regarded speaker, Webber has given more than 100 lectures and speeches to a range of technical and general audiences, including keynote lectures at scientific conferences, executive briefings for leaders of Fortune 500 companies, senior decision makers at government agencies, and testimony before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee. His expertise, research and opinions have been featured in numerous national media such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, Scientific American, Popular Mechanics, NPR and MSNBC.
Research interests:
- Energy policy
- Energy & Water
- Alternative and renewable energy
- Biofuels
- Energy in Texas