Amit Bhasin will be the Cockrell School of Engineering’s new associate dean for research.
Bhasin is the Adnan Abou-Ayyash Professor in the Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and an expert on infrastructure materials and pavements. Since 2018, he’s led the Center for Transportation Research at UT, one of the nation’s premier university transportation research centers, strengthening partnerships with industry and government while expanding the center’s research impact.
“The Cockrell School of Engineering is already a research powerhouse, and I’m excited to help grow and support our mission,” Bhasin said. “Our Texas Engineers are taking on some of the biggest challenges facing our society, and I’m looking forward to helping advance discoveries that will change lives.”
Amit Bhasin
The associate dean for research works with faculty, departments and research centers to enhance and facilitate research in the Cockrell School. The position is also responsible for intellectual property issues, safety and space planning.
Bhasin succeeds John Ekerdt, who returned to the role on an interim basis after the previous associate dean for research, Fernanda Leite, was named UT’s new vice president for research.
The Cockrell School’s research enterprise is responsible for $527 million in annual expenditures across its seven academic departments and more than 290 faculty members. It is a critical part of UT’s research portfolio, which accounted for $1.37 billion in total expenditures and features more than 4,400 active externally funded projects.
Bhasin built an internationally recognized research program in infrastructure materials and transportation engineering, earning numerous honors, including the National Science Foundation CAREER Award and other national research and teaching distinctions. He has consistently advanced interdisciplinary research and translated discoveries into real-world impact through collaborations with federal agencies, the Texas Department of Transportation, industry partners and researchers across disciplines.