Houston Center Director Named
November 14, 2013
UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications
John Vasselli Named UT Tyler Houston Center for Engineering Director
November 14, 2013
Media Contact: Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)
November 14, 2013
Media Contact: Hannah Buchanan
Public Affairs Specialist
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.565.5769 or 903.539.7196 (cell)
John J. Vasselli has been named director of The University of Texas at Tyler’s Houston Center for Engineering, Dr. Alisa White, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, announced.
Vasselli has worked as executive director of UT Tyler’s Texas Allergy, Indoor Environment and Energy Institute since 2010. He also is the Mary John and Ralph Spence professor of research.
“I am excited that John has accepted our offer to serve as director of the center,” said Dr. James Nelson, UT Tyler College of Engineering and Computer Science dean. “He knows the Houston area and is a dynamic forward-thinking individual. There is no question he is the right man for the job.”
Before coming to UT Tyler, Vasselli previously served as director of the air management, acoustics and vibration and indoor air quality technology and components group within Carrier Corporation.
He has more than 35 years of experience associated with indoor and outdoor air quality, technology-driven product and services development, academia/industry research collaboration and government funded research processes at the federal, state and local industry levels.
Vasselli holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, as well as a master of science degree in biomedical/electrical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology and a master of science degree in research systems management from the University of Southern California.
UT Tyler – in partnership with Houston Community College – established the UT Tyler Houston Center for Engineering to help electrical and mechanical engineering students earn a four-year degree for about $20,000, making it one of the most affordable baccalaureate engineering degrees in Texas. The center will offer civil engineering next fall.
Through this pioneering program, Houston area students have the convenience of taking lower division courses at one of the community colleges in the Greater Houston area and upper division courses to complete the degree with UT Tyler at the center, which is located on the HCC Alief-Hayes Road Campus.
One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler offers excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 7,500 high-ability students at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine.