Land, Sea, Space... Sounds like a military branch motto, right? But no, this phrase highlights the unique distinction Texas A&M University (@TAMU) holds through its research capabilities in Agricultural and Mechanical College (Land), Marine Sciences (Sea), and aerospace engineering and space exploration (Space). These designations make @TAMU one of only 24 universities to hold all three designations.
All this and more makes @TAMU a hub for hard tech talent development. Let’s dive in. Located 90 miles outside Houston in College Station, Texas, @TAMU boasts over 25,000 engineering students.
Oil & Gas:
@TAMU has been feeding the oil and gas industry with talent for years, with over 20,000 alumni working in the O&G space. @TAMU’s petroleum engineering program ranks 1st in the U.S. Notable research centers include the Offshore Technology Research Center, focusing on offshore engineering and subsea technology, and the Center for Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, tackling reservoir management and enhanced oil recovery. Executives like the former CEO of Phillips 66 (with $147B+ revenue in 2023) are among @TAMU’s distinguished alumni.
Space:
In space research, @TAMU boasts seven former astronauts as alumni or faculty and is building the Texas A&M Space Institute with a $200M investment, focusing on mission training, aeronautics research, advanced robotics, and lunar and Martian exploration. But what about the startup culture? The McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship serves as the hub. Recent pitch competition winners include ElastaScan, where engineering students developed a band to detect muscle contractions and stiffness. Top advisors include John Berger, CEO of Sunnova Energy International (a leading solar company with over $240M in revenue), and Clint Bybee, Partner at Arch Venture Partners (a leading biotech investment firm backing firms like Illumina). @alumniventures Ring Ventures invests in @TAMU alumni, with notable investments including Venus Aerospace, which is focused on hypersonic flights. On the ground, @TAMU student @ismailhozain started Starforge, a makerspace adjacent to campus, focusing on filtering for the best @TAMU engineering talent. Top talent like @redbullfuturist bridges the gap between the Gundo and @TAMU with an internship at SpaceX. As @DavidZagaynov aptly puts it, "Texas A&M is the Waterloo of the South." Do you agree?