UT Tyler Engineering Faculty Appointed to ABET Commission

April 23, 2025 | Hannah Buchanan

Dr. Nael Barakat, professor and chair of mechanical engineering at The University of Texas at Tyler, has been appointed a member of the 2025-26 ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission, the largest national and international accreditation body for engineering programs. Barakat previously served as an ABET program evaluator for nearly 10 years.

ABET, formerly known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc., ensures that post-secondary programs in engineering, engineering technology, computing, and applied and natural sciences meet quality standards and prepares graduates for their respective fields.

“This promotion to the rank of commissioner highlights Dr. Barakat’s professional contributions and leadership in the field of mechanical engineering,” said Dr. Javier Kypuros, dean of the UT Tyler College of Engineering. “We congratulate him on his recent accomplishment and are proud to have someone of his caliber on the college faculty.”

Barakat joined UT Tyler in 2018. A fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and 2022–26 U.S. Fulbright Specialist, Barakat is an elected member and chair of the National Institute for Engineering Ethics. He has previously served on the executive boards of the ASME Technology and Society and Engineering Management divisions and has held multiple leadership positions in ASME and other professional organizations.

His expertise and research areas include engineering education, mechatronics and robotics as well as engineering ethics, leadership and professionalism. He holds master’s and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from Canada’s Concordia University and McMaster University in Ontario, respectively.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.