The Cockrell School of Engineering boasts an exceptional network of successful alumni known for developing groundbreaking innovations, launching successful ventures and leading global businesses. 75,000 strong, Texas Engineering alumni are leaders — from the former U.S. Secretary of State to the former Senior Vice President of Apple. In many ways, a degree from the Cockrell School is like a membership card to one of the nation’s most exclusive, most accomplished engineering communities.
Alumnus and Brig. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt (B.S. Aerospace Engineering 1990) became the first woman fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force.
Notable Texas Engineering Alumni
Ben Caudle — Ph.D. Petroleum Engineering 1963
Inventor of wag injection
Sanjay Chandra — B.S. Electrical Engineering 1987
Managing Partner and Chairman, Trinity Private Equity Group
Ernest D. Cockrell Jr. — B.S. and M.S. Petroleum Engineering 1936
Founder, Cockrell Oil Corporation and Producer’s Oil Co.
Carrie D. Colbert — B.S. Petroleum Engineering 1999, MBA 2009
Founder and CEO, CarrieColbert.com
Former SVP and Senior Reservoir Engineer, Hilcorp Energy Co.
Chris Condit — B.S. Electrical Engineering 2004, M.S. Biomedical Engineering 2011
Global Product Manager, Spinal and Deep Brain Stimulation Systems, Abbott Neuromodulation
Founder, Texas 4000 for Cancer
Bella Goren — B.S. Chemical Engineering 1983
Board of Directors, LyondellBasell Industries, Gap Inc. and MassMutual Financial Group
Former SVP and CFO, American Airlines Group Inc.
Jeffery Hildebrand — B.S. Geology 1981, M.S. Petroleum Engineering 1985
Founder, Chairman and CEO, Hilcorp Energy Co.
Tae Han Kim — M.S. Chemical Engineering 1986, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering 1988
President and CEO, Samsung BioLogics Co. Ltd.
Jeannie Leavitt — B.S. Aerospace Engineering 1990
Brigadier General, Commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, U.S. Air Force
First woman fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force
Michael Linford — B.S. Mechanical Engineering 2005
Chief Financial Officer, Affirm Inc
Bob Mansfield — B.S. Electrical Engineering 1982
Advisor (Former SVP), Special Projects, Apple
Fariborz Maseeh — M.S. Civil Engineering 2008
Founder and Managing Principal, Surlamer
Gabe Muoneke — B.S. Petroleum Engineering 2002
Founder, MTX
Four-year starter on Texas Longhorns Men’s Basketball Team
Karen Nyberg — M.S. Mechanical Engineering 1996, Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering 1998
Astronaut, NASA – Johnson Space Center
Sara Ortwein — B.S. Civil Engineering 1980
President, XTO Energy Inc.
Scott Sheffield — B.S. Petroleum Engineering 1975
Chairman (Former CEO), Pioneer Natural Resources
Nicholas Steinsberger — B.S. Petroleum Engineering 1987
Inventor of the modern approach to hydraulic fracturing
Autry Stephens — B.S. Petroleum Engineering 1961, M.S. Petroleum Engineering 1962
Founder, Endeavor Energy Resources, Big Dog Drilling
Alan Stern — B.A. Astronomy 1981, B.S. Physics 1978, M.S. Aerospace Engineering 1980, M.S. Civil Engineering 1981
Associate Vice President, Southwest Research Institute
Principal Investigator, NASA New Horizons Mission to Pluto
Gary Thomas — B.S. Petroleum Engineering 1972
President and COO, EOG Resources
The Honorable Rex Tillerson — B.S. Civil Engineering 1975
Former Chairman and CEO, Exxon Mobil Corporation
Former U.S. Secretary of State
Jim Truchard — B.S. Physics 1964, M.A. Physics 1967, Ph.D. Electrical Engineering 1974
Co-Founder and Chairman (and Former President and CEO), National Instruments Corporation
Mike Walker — M.S. Mechanical Engineering 1968
Founder, Chairman, President and CEO, Dril-Quip
Michael Watkins — B.S. Aerospace Engineering 1983, M.S. Aerospace Engineering 1985, Ph.D. Aerospace Engineering 1990
Director, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
