Skip to main content

News

Cullen College of Engineering Joins Forces With Maritime University
By
Laurie Fickman
UH and Dalian power team: (l-r)  Keh-Han Wang, UH professor of CEE and director of the civil engineering graduate program, UH's Roberto Ballarini, Thomas and Laura Hsu Professor and department chair and Yuqing Sun, DMU president
UH and Dalian power team: (l-r) Keh-Han Wang, UH professor of CEE and director of the civil engineering graduate program, UH's Roberto Ballarini, Thomas and Laura Hsu Professor and department chair and Yuqing Sun, DMU president
Roberto Ballarini (center) tours the training ship Yukun with a member of the staff and Captain Xinzhuo Liu (far left)
Roberto Ballarini (center) tours the training ship Yukun with a member of the staff and Captain Xinzhuo Liu (far left)
More of the international team: (l-r) Jinlei Zhang, assistant dean of Dalian Law School, Yejin Lin, deputy dean of Dalian marine engineering, UH's Keh-Han Wang and Roberto Ballarini, Weiliang Qito, lecturer at Dalian
More of the international team: (l-r) Jinlei Zhang, assistant dean of Dalian Law School, Yejin Lin, deputy dean of Dalian marine engineering, UH's Keh-Han Wang and Roberto Ballarini, Weiliang Qito, lecturer at Dalian

In April, representatives of the University of Houston’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) traveled to Dalian Maritime University (DMU) in Dalian, People’s Republic of China, to write and sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will bring what is expected to be a continuous stream of DMU students to CEE’s M.S. and Ph.D. programs.

According to DMU’s President Yuqing Sun, this inaugural agreement with CEE is the first of what they hope to be additional agreements with departments in the Cullen College of Engineering, which they selected as DMU’s “go-to” school for master’s and doctoral degrees.

Dalian Maritime University, one of China’s premiere maritime institutions, and the University of Houston, a global leader in subsea engineering education, continue to share many common goals. The two schools signed a similar MOU in February to leverage both universities’ mutual interests in the fields of offshore energy and subsea engineering by sharing expertise, resources and facilities as well as jointly developing research and academic programs. 

Representing UH were Keh-Han Wang, professor of CEE and director of the civil engineering graduate program and Roberto Ballarini, Thomas and Laura Hsu Professor and department chair.

In a separate formal ceremony Ballarini was named honorary chair professor at DMU. As part of his appointment he will spend one month annually at DMU to nurture collaborative efforts.

“The appointment of Professor Roberto Ballarini has enriched the scientific research force and broadened the research direction for the development of marine engineering related fields,” said Dalian Vice-President Zhengjiang Liu.

Ballarini added, “I would like to take this opportunity to build a platform for cooperation between Dalian Maritime University and University of Houston to establish a normalization of the exchange of visits between teachers and students.”

Share This Story: