As the human population increases and becomes more concentrated in urban areas, economic vitality depends on a resilient constructed infrastructure. Furthermore, with the rapid expansion of telecommunications, commerce, communications, and media, we have grown highly dependent on the resilience and security of computer and communications networks.
The Cockrell School of Engineering is addressing these infrastructure questions with two broad themes: secure and sustainable systems, and resilience and disaster recovery. Critical infrastructure - refineries, natural gas and water distribution, roads, hospitals, communication networks and electric power systems - are a fundamental basis of the U.S. economy. Major paradigm changes in infrastructure engineering and planning are needed, which will involve both the built infrastructure as well as algorithms to optimize and manage the infrastructure. We have expertise in this area from fundamental understanding of the interaction between infrastructure actions through evaluation, modeling and simulation to technology development.
Water is recognized as a vital resource, inseparable from the infrastructure that provides it. The nation's waters are severely stressed by competing demands including population growth and land use changes, meeting ecological needs and growing concern over water availability with the impacts of climate change, especially in the arid Southwest. We must move to a sustainable system where water is used and reused. In the urban and industrial environments, the Cockrell School will develop technologies to provide low cost, high performance treatment of both waster and drinking water. Information technology and communications networks also have a role in revolutionizing the management and operation of water systems for sustainability.
Research Presentations
Through integration of systems, information and communication, we will enable efficient travel in a more reliable, safe and sustainable manner. Faculty lead: C. Michael Walton
Transformation of the energy market will be driven by sustainable technology development enabled by innovation, demonstration and validation. Faculty lead: Tom Edgar
This project is a smart grid demonstration in Austin, Texas that is using an energy internet microgrid for efficient use of energy and integration of green technologies. Faculty lead: Tom Edgar
We are working to save lives through better flood warning, emergency management, modeling and mapping. Faculty lead: David Maidment
We are enabling the next generation of wireless technologies that will provide networks and systems, which are no longer in isolation, and new levels of efficiency and intelligence in applications. Faculty lead: Robert Heath
