UT Tyler Engineering Students Recognized at National Competition
June 4, 2026 | Hannah Buchanan
Houston Engineering Center Team First-Time Competitor in DOE Contest
Students from The University of Texas at Tyler Houston Engineering Center competed in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office 2026 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition and won the Kilowatt League “Build and Test Challenge,” where they built a prototype of their concept and performed a series of lab tests to meet their defined build and test objectives. This was UT Tyler’s first appearance at the contest.
The competition challenges multidisciplinary collegiate teams to develop marine energy-focused solutions for ocean-based industries, research sectors or national security missions. Faculty advisers were Dr. Syed Hussain Rizvi, UT Tyler assistant professor of instruction, and Dr. Mohammad Biswas, UT Tyler associate professor of mechanical engineering.
“Congratulations to our mechanical engineering students and faculty team on this outstanding national achievement,” said Dr. Yasser Mahgoub, UT Tyler associate professor of instruction and HEC director. “We are very proud of our HEC students and their accomplishments.”
UT Tyler HEC student team members are listed by hometown.
HOUSTON – Caroline Cook and Ivan Mendez.
KATY – Jose Maldonado.
RICHMOND – Yulian Bolka and Mohammed Majeed.
Their project, “Wave Powered Boat,” featured a wave energy converter designed to capture the natural motion of waves and convert it into usable electrical power. The prototype demonstrated how renewable marine energy could be used in a practical way to power small electronics on a boat or marine platform.
“Competitions like this give students the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real engineering challenges,” said Rizvi. “Students experience the full design process –– including brainstorming, analysis, prototyping, testing, troubleshooting, teamwork and technical communication. These experiences help prepare them for industry by building practical skills, confidence and problem-solving abilities beyond the classroom.”
The Department of Energy’s office enables research, development and testing of emerging technologies to advance marine energy as well as next generation hydropower and pumped storage systems. For more information, visit: energy.gov/cmei/water/.
Through its Houston Engineering Center, UT Tyler supports the East Texas engineering economy while also providing better access to quality engineering education for students in and around the Greater Houston area. Visit uttyler.edu to learn more.
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 11,500 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.