Geotechnical Engineering Graduate Program:
A Perfect Fit for Panos Andonyadis
Panos Andonyadis (back row, far right) and flag football teammates pose after a winning game. Their team name, Olson's Army, celebrates beloved Geotech Professor Roy Olson
When considering graduate school, each student’s criteria can be quite different. For Greek-American Panos Andonyadis, the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering is a perfect fit.
Panos spent most of his life in the Washington DC area and received his Bachelor’s in Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech. Both of his parents were born and raised overseas in Istanbul, Turkey and although his entire family is Greek, they are very involved with Turkish culture. Coming from an international family, Panos is attracted to environments that support and encourage diversity and the University of Texas at Austin met that requirement.
Our department’s graduate studies program was an appealing option to him because of its reputation and research opportunities. He says, “The school’s program in geotechnical engineering is regarded as one of the best in country and attracts students from all over the world.” Another important factor in his decision to apply was the school’s atmosphere and sense of community. And UT’s top-ranked football and basketball teams were also appealing to an avid sports fan.
Panos' research will help petroleum engineers better determine what kind of investment they should put into a pilot test for surfactant flooding.
Panos is pleased with his decision to attend graduate school at CAEE ever since he arrived. His current research, supervised by Professor Bob Gilbert, is to create a value of information analysis for field pilot tests of surfactant based enhanced oil recovery methods. His project is designed to help petroleum engineers better determine what kind of investment they should put into a pilot test for surfactant flooding when certain basic parameters and characteristics of the oil field and economic environment are known. The desired outcome of his work is to create more comfort with surfactant floods (which could make current oil fields more efficient with their production).
“I like my department’s faculty and the general mentality of the professors”, he says. “They push students and demand the best from them. They are also always trying their best to help us understand the material (something that many professors often overlook). I am appreciative of the fact that the faculty balances theory and application, which in turn creates a well-rounded engineer.”
Panos is also an active member of the GeoInstitute and participates in geotechnical group’s intramural teams. The GeoInstitute is a graduate student organization that hosts monthly speakers from industry and social events where networking is occasionally the focal point. The group also holds Grand Rounds, an ongoing series of geotechnical engineering student presentations where students learn about each other’s work. The events are generally only open to students and alumni of our department and are generally closed to the public and professors.
He receives support from a Thrust 2000 Endowed Fellowship, which are fellowships reserved for outstanding students who have expressed interest in the Ph.D. program and continue their graduate education for up to four years.
Outside of his studies and research, Panos likes to get out and enjoy the liveliness of Austin. He enjoys recreational activities such as swimming, playing sports, or visiting the different sites around town. He also attends concerts or sporting events whenever possible and loves hanging out in Austin’s downtown area.