Sharon Rich is a professor of practice in the Master of Engineering in Engineering with a specialization in Subsea Engineering program in the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering. |
Image: Texas A&M Engineering
It was a beautiful spring day when Sharon Rich '92 stepped on an Aggie campus again – this time not as a student, but as an instructor. Last semester, she joined the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering as a professor of practice in the graduate subsea engineering program.
Rich received a bachelor's degree in marine engineering, a mixture of mechanical engineering and naval architecture, from Texas A&M University Galveston. She has 30 years of engineering experience in the offshore oil and gas industry, where she managed projects that took place across the world. Rich has authored numerous deep-water development and offshore technology papers and worked on projects for companies such as BP, ExxonMobil and Chevron.
As a returning Aggie and new instructor, Rich has found multidisciplinary engineering's diversity reflective of her experience. During her career, she led teams made up of members with various engineering disciplines. These highly skilled engineers collaborated to safely develop and deliver oil and gas from below the seafloor to offshore platforms and, finally, the market to meet the energy needs of developing nations and expanding economies.
"Becoming a faculty member at Texas A&M brings my career full circle from student to industry professional to professor," Rich said. "While a new professor, I've trained and mentored many people throughout my career. I'm excited to enter a new chapter and help develop the next generation of Aggies."
Rich is an instructor for the Master of Engineering in Engineering with a Specialization in Subsea Engineering. Her area of expertise is in project and engineering management of offshore energy generation and transmission and distribution projects in subsea systems.
She advises students to be confident about learning.
"When you acknowledge what you don’t know, you're open to learning more about other perspectives and sharing your ideas," Rich said. "That, in turn, sparks deeper discussions that could lead to a new solution or a wonderful learning opportunity."
Rich received a bachelor's degree in marine engineering, a mixture of mechanical engineering and naval architecture, from Texas A&M University Galveston. She has 30 years of engineering experience in the offshore oil and gas industry, where she managed projects that took place across the world. Rich has authored numerous deep-water development and offshore technology papers and worked on projects for companies such as BP, ExxonMobil and Chevron.
As a returning Aggie and new instructor, Rich has found multidisciplinary engineering's diversity reflective of her experience. During her career, she led teams made up of members with various engineering disciplines. These highly skilled engineers collaborated to safely develop and deliver oil and gas from below the seafloor to offshore platforms and, finally, the market to meet the energy needs of developing nations and expanding economies.
"Becoming a faculty member at Texas A&M brings my career full circle from student to industry professional to professor," Rich said. "While a new professor, I've trained and mentored many people throughout my career. I'm excited to enter a new chapter and help develop the next generation of Aggies."
Rich is an instructor for the Master of Engineering in Engineering with a Specialization in Subsea Engineering. Her area of expertise is in project and engineering management of offshore energy generation and transmission and distribution projects in subsea systems.
She advises students to be confident about learning.
"When you acknowledge what you don’t know, you're open to learning more about other perspectives and sharing your ideas," Rich said. "That, in turn, sparks deeper discussions that could lead to a new solution or a wonderful learning opportunity."