Students are encouraged to take advantage of the many student organizations within the PGE department and the Cockrell School of Engineering. The benefits of joining include:

• Access to industry representatives, which can lead to an internship or full-time position
• A broader learning experience of your major
• Relationship building with fellow classmates
• Opportunities to attend industry conferences to meet students in other petroleum engineering programs across the country as well as UT PGE alumni working in the energy sector

Check out the variety of organizations and join those that best fit your needs and interests as a PGE student:

American Association of Drilling Engineers (AADE): UT Austin’s AADE chapter is a nonprofit student organization dedicated to expanding the knowledge, network and opportunities of students interested in drilling and the energy sector.

American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA): UT Austin’s ARMA chapter facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration, fosters scientific research, advances the science of geomechanics/rock mechanics, develops leadership experience and group interaction skills, educates students on career opportunities, and takes part in national chapter activities and events.

Equal Opportunity in Engineering Program (EOE): The EOE program invites students to become part of an exciting community that focuses on academic success and personal growth. EOE initiatives such as the Fall Kick-Off, First-Year Interest Groups and Engineering Peer Leaders help students establish a strong academic foundation and promote the formation of a peer support network.

International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC): Currently in the planning stages, UT Austin’s IADC chapter will focus on drilling operations, oil and gas, and renewable energy. Members will participate in hands-on activities like attending educational conferences and exciting field trips, participating in workshops and symposiums, and much more.

Pi Epsilon Tau: This Petroleum Engineering honor society seeks to foster a closer bond between its members and the petroleum industry, to broaden the scope of activities of its members, and to maintain the high ideals and standards of the engineering profession.

Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE): UT SPE is an organization committed to helping students learn more about the industry by offering the opportunity to network with company representatives, encouraging the exchange of ideas with others, and providing experience in the field through a variety of educational trips taken throughout the year. 

Society of Women Engineers (SWE): The SWE collegiate section at UT Austin is one of the most active engineering societies on campus. Currently, we have a strong membership and represent students of all genders from each of the seven engineering disciplines offered at the university.

Tau Beta Pi: Tau Beta Pi is an interdisciplinary engineering honor society that recognizes students with high academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity.

Women in Engineering Program (WEP): WEP helps students in the Cockrell School of Engineering who identify as female get connected, develop as engineering leaders, and graduate with skills for life. Established in 1991, WEP strives torecruit and retain female engineering students, increase the percentage of female engineering graduates, and provide a supportive structure that encourages success.

Women in Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering (WPGE): WPGE provides a platform for undergraduate women in the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering (PGE) to socialize and network with each other, to help encourage the growth of women in the PGE community, and to learn about the roles women play in the energy industry.

UT Geophysical Society (affiliated with the Society of Exploration Geophysicists) collaborates with the Longhorn AAPG (American Association of Petroleum Geologists) chapter to promote pathways and connections to the petroleum and geophysical engineering industry, as well as ways to deepen understanding of geophysics and exploration through research and interdisciplinary connections.