MinerAlert
MinerAlert
The College of Engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), in partnership with Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague, welcomes the first cohort of students to the dual master’s degree program in Smart Cities. This unique collaboration allows UTEP and CTU students to synchronously earn two degrees through the program while also engaging in the invaluable and enriching study-abroad experience.
“Having collaborated successfully with CTU on the dual master’s program in transportation and logistics in the past decade, we are ready to take our collaboration to the next level. As smart cities are a multidisciplinary field, I am looking forward to seeing more student and faculty exchanges between our CTU partners and the College of Engineering at UTEP,” said Ruey L. Cheu, Ph.D., Department of Civil Engineering professor said.
This decade-long multidisciplinary collaboration between UTEP and CTU has shaped students that work together to understand the different ways in which Smart Cities technologies are going to impact urban environments.
“This feels like a new beginning,” commented Tomáš Horák, Ph.D., CTU civil engineering professor. “Starting a new program during a global pandemic was a challenging experience. The worst part is behind us. We are ready to move forward despite recent disruptions.” CTU professor and co-coordinator Miroslav Svítek, Ph.D. added, “UTEP has a great track record of creating successful programs, I’m excited to be part of this collaboration going forward.”
This fall semester, four Czech students and three El Paso students were welcomed to campus as the first cohort of this brand-new program. The four Czech scholars are enrolled as full-time UTEP students and are expected to earn a master’s degree in the Spring of 2022. The three UTEP students are expected to study abroad in Prague, after concluding their first academic year.
“I am very excited to be a part of the Smart Cities program, as it is a perfect opportunity to study and travel. I will be able to meet new friends, get to know new cultures, and learn about Smart Cities, which is a relatively new, promising, and very interesting topic,” Martin Čirkov, dual-degree master's program student from CTU, said.
“I came to UTEP to continue my education, and discovered interest in transportation and Smart Cities. I am excited to dive into these new interesting topics here and at CTU in the Czech Republic, as well as get the opportunity to travel and get exposed to new ideas and new cultures,” Lauren E. Brown, a UTEP civil engineering senior who will continue with the dual master’s degree program at CTU in the Fall of 2022.
On behalf of the Department of Civil Engineering faculty and staff, a warm welcome is extended to this first group of students, wishing them a wonderful, enriching and rewarding experience at UTEP and abroad.