Dear alumni and friends,
As fall is about to begin, I hope your summer months were pleasant. I am delighted to share with you the incredible talent of our students, faculty and staff here in The University of Tulsa’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. Our research, principles and curricula are as shown in our recent achievements.
We are pleased to announce that Weiping Pei, Ph.D., assistant professor of cyber studies, has been awarded two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants, including the prestigious CAREER Award, for her two projects: “Improving Work Quality and Worker Safety in AI-Supported Crowd Work” and “Security, Privacy, and Trust in Cyberspace (SaTC) 2.0 RES: Understanding and Detecting Online Scams from Generative AI.” These projects will create safer AI-based systems, bridge the gap between human-AI relationships and innovate cybersecurity research.
Additionally, the School of Cyber Studies is also proud to announce its first doctoral graduates in cyber studies: Abulfaz Hajizada and James Higgs. This milestone was reached from the collective effort of the school’s dedication to research – providing a transformative educational experience for our doctoral graduates.
Mechanical engineering professor Siamack Shirazi, Ph.D., has been recognized with the 2025 International Award by the Society of Petroleum Engineers for his groundbreaking research on erosion and corrosion control in oil and gas pipelines. Shirazi has been a part of the college for 35 years, cementing his legacy in research, innovation and mentorship amongst our alumni, students and faculty.
Lastly, we want to thank Kate Wallgren (B.S. ’03) for her generous donation to the college. Her generosity will empower our students, faculty and staff to make further strides here in Tulsa and beyond.
Your continued support is the foundation of our college’s achievements. Together, we are shaping to make a positive impact in the world.
Warm regards,
Andreas A. Polycarpou
James Sorem Inaugural Dean