UTEP News | Updates from The University of Texas at El Paso

UTEP Rocket Team Places Second at International Rocket Competition

EL PASO, Texas (July 7, 2025) – The Sun City Summit Rocket Team at The University of Texas at El Paso has claimed two victories at the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC), placing seventh overall out of 145 teams and second out of 21 teams in their specific rocketry category. The multi-day event was held this summer near Midland, TX and brought thousands of students from 22 countries to show off their engineering skills and teamwork.

UTEP Researchers Reveal Alcohol Impacts Decision-Making in Males More Than Females

Alcohol consumption is widely known to affect decision-making, but a recent study led by researchers from The University of Texas at El Paso found that the extent of that impact may have something to do with the drinker’s gender.

Being an Adult Moth is No Picnic, UTEP Research Finds

Age is just a number, or is it? A new study by UTEP researchers shows that adult moths are more vulnerable to attack than when they are young.

UTEP Named an Opportunity University by Carnegie Foundation

The University of Texas at El Paso has been named an Opportunity College & University in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications. The honor is bestowed upon universities that serve as exceptional springboards to student success, opportunity and economic mobility post-graduation.

UTEP Students, Faculty, Staff Selected for Prestigious Fulbright Program

Four recent graduates, one faculty member and one staff member from The University of Texas at El Paso have been selected for the prestigious Fulbright Program.

UTEP Launches Master’s in Education with Artificial Intelligence Focus

A new master’s degree offered by The University of Texas at El Paso gives educators the tools they need to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom.

Texas Tech Health El Paso, UTEP Announce Third MedFuture Cohort

On June 9, Texas Tech Health El Paso and The University of Texas at El Paso announced the third cohort of students selected for MedFuture, an initiative that jointly admits talented high school seniors from West Texas to college and medical school in El Paso.

First Annual Miner Business Impact Awards Recognize Trailblazing Miners with Fastest-Growing Businesses

UTEP hosted the first annual Miner Business Impact Awards, recognizing the fastest-growing alumni businesses and leading corporate and organization partners that have made a significant impact on our economy and the University. Recipients were celebrated at an awards ceremony at St. Roger’s Depot.

Antidepressant Use in Teens Contributes to Increased Pain Sensitivity in Adulthood

As scientists seek to understand the long-term effects of antidepressants given to teens, a new study from The University of Texas at El Paso finds that the use of antidepressants, particularly Prozac, in adolescent women may contribute to increased pain sensitivity later in life.

Got Knee Pain? Stimulating the Vagus Nerve Through the Ear May Help

Tying shoelaces, getting into a car, picking things up off the floor and walking down stairs all involve flexing that most difficult of joints: the knee. But pain in the knee can significantly hinder those and many other routine activities.

UTEP Professor Ranked Among Top Three Real Estate Researchers Worldwide

EL PASO, Texas (May 20, 2025) – The Real Estate Academic Leadership (REAL) rankings have recognized UTEP Assistant Professor Zifeng Feng, Ph.D., as one of the world’s foremost leaders in real estate research.

Spring Commencement to Celebrate More than 3,000 Graduates

EL PASO, Texas (May 14, 2025) – The University of Texas at El Paso will host four in-person Commencement ceremonies this weekend at the Don Haskins Center to honor more than 3,000 spring and summer 2025 graduates and degree candidates. The cohort includes the first graduating class of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program and the largest graduating class in the history of the College of Science.

UTEP’S REAS Center Powers Research and Student Success

The Research, Evaluation and Assessment Services Center, or REAS Center, in UTEP’s Research and Innovation division has contributed to over $100 million in awarded grants while equipping students and faculty with essential research skills and services.

Freeport-McMoRan Commits $7 Million to Support Mining Engineering at UTEP

The University of Texas at El Paso announced today a $7 million investment from mining industry leader Freeport-McMoRan to support UTEP’s planned re-start of the mining engineering degree program. The investment will support the program development and implementation as UTEP re-starts mining engineering to meet a national need.

UTEP Names Harvey Castellano Dean of the University Library

The University of Texas at El Paso has named Harvey Castellano as Dean of the University Library. Castellano, who served as interim dean over the last year, joined the UTEP library in 1997 and brings nearly three decades of experience and leadership to the role.

UTEP Computer Science Professor Honored with Prestigious Statewide Teaching Award

EL PASO, Texas (May 1, 2025) – Martine C. Ceberio, Ph.D., professor of computer science at The University of Texas at El Paso, has been named a Piper Professor for 2025, one of the highest honors for educators in Texas.

UTEP Students, Alumni Earn Prestigious Goldwater and National Science Foundation Fellowships

EL PASO, Texas (April 29, 2025) – Five current students and recent graduates from The University of Texas at El Paso have received two of the most highly competitive national scholarships for research in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) — the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP).

Record-Breaking Raise Your Pick Giving Day Raises More Than $390K

The University of Texas at El Paso’s third annual Raise Your Pick UTEP Giving Day was record-breaking, raising over $390,000 through more than 2,500 individual gifts from alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the University.

UTEP Launches Artificial Intelligence Think Tank to Address Regional Challenges

The University of Texas at El Paso has launched the AI Institute for Community-Engaged Research (AI-ICER), an interdisciplinary think tank designed to leverage artificial intelligence technologies to address pressing regional and national challenges. The institute was established with funding from The University of Texas System Regents' Research Excellence Program.

UTEP Names C. Scott Kruse Dean of the College of Health Sciences

The University of Texas at El Paso has named C. Scott Kruse, Ph.D., as the new dean of the College of Health Sciences. Kruse comes to UTEP with a distinguished career in both academia and military service, having most recently served as Associate Dean of the College of Health Professions and Professor of Health Administration at Texas State University.

UTEP Earns Top Prize at Premier Texas Rocketry Competition

EL PASO, Texas (April 15, 2025) – The University of Texas at El Paso’s Sun City Summit Rocket Team claimed victory at the Lone Star Cup competition in Seymour, Texas this past month, beating out a dozen other Texas teams including Texas Tech University, Texas A&M and The University of Texas at San Antonio.

UTEP Celebrates Opening of Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center

Moon habitation, space robotics and exotic-material 3D printing are just a few of the technologies that will be developed in the Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center (AMAC), a new $80 million research and education facility opened today at The University of Texas at El Paso.

UTEP's Project MOVE Mobilizes Hundreds for Community Service

Volunteers from The University of Texas at El Paso set out to make a lasting impact on the El Paso community this weekend, with over 650 participants contributing more than 4,000 hours of labor.

El Paso Science Festival, UTEP Encourage Everyone to Reach for the Stars

The El Paso Science Festival returns this April after attracting more than 10,000 attendees in its debut last year.

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