The Cullen College of Engineering shined at last night’s University of Houston Faculty Awards Banquet, with college professors taking home five research and scholarship awards, the career teaching award and the university’s highest faculty honor, the Esther Farfel Award.

Faculty, staff, and colleagues of the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering gathered last week to honor fourteen members of the National Academy of Engineering.

UH President Renu Khator and Cullen College of Engineering Dean Joseph W. Tedesco recognized the distinguished group who represent the Cullen College of Engineering at the Wall of Fame Dedication Ceremony. The wall of fame is located in the Engineering Building.

UH Cullen College of Engineering faculty and staff were honored for outstanding performance in teaching, research and service at the college’s Spring 2012 Faculty-Staff meeting on May 2. President Renu Khator addressed the group with a special message of her vision for the college, and Dean Joseph Tedesco discussed the college’s progress in a number of areas.

This year’s cohort of freshman students at the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering shouldn’t have much trouble finding a good study group. With a class that’s more than 25 percent larger than last year, there will be plenty of people to cram with when the first tests come around.

Houston energy professionals gathered for Subsea Engineering Industry Day on Tuesday, hosted by the UH Cullen College of Engineering and McDermott International Inc. The event focused on the UH Subsea Engineering Program, and included presentations by Cullen College Dean Joseph Tedesco and Program Director Matthew Franchek.

Neal Amundson, Cullen Professor Emeritus of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Professor of Mathematics, passed away yesterday at the age of 95.

"We are deeply saddened at the great loss of Neal Amundson to our UH community and to chemical engineering education and research," said Dean Joseph Tedesco. "His impact to UH and the profession have been, and will continue to be, extremely profound."

The Omron Foundation has given $27,500 to the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering to establish an endowed scholarship for students and to support Capstone Design, a course for senior engineering majors.

The gift was made possible through the efforts of Houston-based Omron Oilfield and Marine, one of the Omron companies that funds the foundation.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Roysam to boost neuroscience research at UH.

The University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering has named Badrinath "Badri" Roysam from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute the new chair of the department of electrical and computer engineering, effective Oct. 1. In addition to his administrative role, Roysam will serve as Hugh and Lillie Cranz Cullen University Professor.

Researchers to develop, test large wind turbine blades for offshore use

Efforts by the University of Houston to become a national leader in offshore wind technology received a huge boost from the U.S. Department of Energy, which recently awarded university researchers $2.3 million to establish a testing facility.