About Us

Vision

The uncompromising vision is to establish a world-class ocean engineering program that is a pioneer in modern curriculum, an innovator of education techniques, and a leader in key established/emerging research/technology areas.

Mission

The mission of the Department of Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University is to conduct research, serve the public, and educate students in a broad program encompassing traditional and emerging areas of ocean engineering. The department aims to prepare graduates entering engineering practice, continuing onto graduate study, lifelong learning, and professional development; and serve the public and engineering profession in Texas and the nation through participation of faculty and students in public and professional activities. The objectives of the department are to contribute to a better understanding of ocean engineering through applied and fundamental research and support education and development of students. 

Department Head's Statement

In fall 2015, Texas A&M University launched the Department of Ocean Engineering (OCEN), by combining two related programs existing at Texas A&M: Ocean Engineering in College Station and Offshore and Coastal Systems Engineering in Galveston.  This merger brings together the world-class infrastructure and resources of the very large engineering campus at College Station with the strategic waterfront location and unique resources at Galveston.

These are exciting and challenging times for the field of ocean engineering. While some of the more classical ocean engineering disciplines are maturing into tested-technology, new areas of interest in deepwater offshore technology, renewable energy, air-sea interaction engineering, coastal and ocean environmental protection and preservation are rejuvenating the field.

The evolving challenges and opportunities call for continuous evolution of the student experience including in-class engineering instruction such as laboratory and field-based instruction in addition to a large research portfolio that includes fundamental research, advanced numerical modeling, and field-based engineering research. Our most important asset at the new department is the talented and dedicated faculty who have served many generations of Aggie Ocean Engineers under each of the two programs.

We look forward to strengthening our relationship with industry leaders and Aggie alumni in oil and gas and offshore companies. Our new department will fully leverage proximity and familiarity with industry to build an industry-relevant curriculum and forward-looking fundamental research portfolio. Houston-based industry will aid student internship opportunities, topics for fundamental research and close university-industry research partnerships.

The OCEN department has access to several world-class technology centers at Texas A&M: AeroSpace Technology, Research & Operations (ASTRO) Center (Director: Greg Chamitoff), Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG) (Director: Tony Knapp), Center for Autonomous Vehicles and Sensor Systems (CANVASS) (Director: John Valasek) and the Center for Geospatial Sciences, Application and Technology (Director: Michael Bishop).

Texas A&M Galveston campus offers unique field-testing facilities such as direct access to the coast, and waterfront operations with a variety of boats ranging in length from 14 to 224 feet readily available for field-based instruction and research.

We expect our department to play a critical role in the development, protection and preservation of the Gulf of Mexico.

We, the faculty of the OCEN department, look forward to an exciting future serving the state of Texas and the field of ocean engineering. We invite you to join us and become a part of this exciting journey.

Our combined areas of research include: