Austin, TX

School of Design and Creative Technologies at The University of Texas at Au

Published

1 year ago

August 1, 2024

School of Design and Creative Technologies at The University of Texas at Au

The School of Design and Creative Technologies (SDCT) is the newest and fastest-growing program at the University of Texas at Austin. SDCT, a part of the prestigious College of Fine Arts, runs a specialized design curriculum worthy of its place in one of the world’s largest and most renowned research institutions. Our students are uniquely positioned to benefit from all that UT Austin offers as they learn critical design skills.

Our Department of Design offers undergraduate and graduate degrees alongside robust design courses open to all UT students. Nestled within a large university, we are a vibrant school where individual faculty and students know one another well and everyone participates in building a community based on creative collaboration.

Undergraduate Design Degrees

Our B.A. and B.F.A. degrees offer a comprehensive educational journey that equips students with the tools to tackle real-world challenges across various domains. Through a blend of coursework and mentorship from faculty, students study graphic design, industrial design, interaction design, design research and strategy, and design history. Design courses address issues ranging from health and sustainability to social justice and technology. The program cultivates creative confidence and urges students to explore open-ended solutions beyond the obvious.

Undergraduate students progress through a meticulously structured degree program, from foundational sequences to specialized electives such as Branding for Social Justice and Retro Futures. In the first two years, emphasis is placed on mastering design fundamentals like typography, sketching, form-giving, and design history. As students advance, they delve deeper into specialized areas of interest — from letterpress printing to health care systems — using design as their toolset.

Graduate Design Programs

At the graduate level, our M.F.A. in Design offers a dynamic, 21-month journey for ambitious designers seeking to tackle the complex challenges of the 21st century. This program, led by award-winning design practitioners and scholars, emphasizes studio-based learning, critical inquiry and advanced fabrication skills. Our M.F.A. program boasts small cohorts, which allows students to work closely with faculty mentors to tailor their education to align with their career aspirations. As they develop an expansive thesis project, students receive focused training in research, theory, criticism and design pedagogy.

In partnership with UT’s Dell Medical School, our M.A. in Design focused on health is a first-of-its-kind training ground for innovators who strive to make changes within our healthcare system. On an accelerated 10-month timeline, students use design tools to address complex health issues, envisioning transformative solutions for the future of healthcare delivery.

The Center for Integrated Design

The Center for Integrated Design (CID) connects students from all majors across the University of Texas at Austin. CID offers collaborative, design-based learning experiences, where students integrate design skills into the context of their major area of study. Students enrolled in CID courses work alongside a diverse group of peers and expert design faculty members to explore design as a powerful, effective methodology for solving real-world challenges. They learn to frame problems, study human behavior and apply insights that positively impact their chosen industry and the world.

Career Support

Our industry relations team facilitates connections with professionals in the field, jumpstarting students’ professional networks and opening doors to diverse career opportunities. All students are offered career development opportunities with one-on-one consulting, resume reviews and interview training. Recent graduates of our programs have gone on to work with some of the most renowned design teams in the U.S., from The New York Times to Microsoft and from GSD&M to frog.

At the University of Texas at Austin, we believe in the power of design to drive positive change, and SDCT is at the forefront of this transformative journey. Through a blend of innovative curriculum, expert mentorship and real-world experience, we empower our students to become skilled designers and visionary leaders who will shape the future of design and beyond.

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Austin, TX

Democrats go statewide in Texas House races

Published

34 minutes ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Democrats go statewide in Texas House races

AUSTIN — For the first time in modern Texas politics, Democrats will field candidates in every one of the state’s 150 House districts.

It’s a milestone party leaders hope will boost turnout, money and organization up and down the ballot, even as Gov. Greg Abbott enters the cycle with a well-tested ground game of his own.

Democratic leaders say the move is less about flipping deeply red districts and more about expanding the electorate and forcing Republicans to defend territory they have long taken for granted.

Houston Rep. Christina Morales, the new chief of the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee, said a full slate of candidates creates infrastructure that can benefit statewide races, regardless of the odds in individual districts.

Campaigns that once existed only on paper now bring door-knocking, phone banking and voter registration efforts, she said.

Morales also is coordinating with national Democrats, trying to harness energy from Texas’ high-profile Senate race, marked by a bitter GOP feud.

In that primary, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn faces Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston.

The Democratic Senate contest, featuring state Rep. James Talarico of Austin and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas, has drawn wide voter interest and donor support.

But attention and money only go so far.

Abbott enters the cycle with a major advantage: a mature, statewide voter-mobilization network built over decades of Republican control.

“Abbott has made it his own,” said longtime GOP strategist Thomas Graham, citing sustained relationship-building at the precinct level and focus on local concerns. “Democrats are still rebuilding a statewide party. The ground game heavily favors the governor.”

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Austin, TX

Environmental experts say Texas data centers come with uncertainty

Published

13 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Environmental experts say Texas data centers come with uncertainty

article

The main switchyard at a Midlothian power plant. The federal government is sending Texas more than $60 million to strengthen the state’s power grid. Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune

Texas is home to approximately 400 data centers — some currently operational, others still under construction and a number that are still in the planning stages. Experts say the boom comes with a lot of uncertainty.

Texas data center power demand

What they’re saying:

“Data centers are a relatively large power demand in a small area, something like, you know, 100 or 200 megawatts of power. That’s more than a small city or a small town would be consuming itself,” said Carey King, a research scientist with the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.

Over the past year, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas has received more than 200 gigawatts worth of large load interconnection requests, approximately 73% of which are from data centers. That has led to questions about whether the state’s grid is up to the task of supplying power to the facilities.

“Many of us who suffered through winter storm Uri still have PTSD over, you know, fears that the grid won’t be able to meet demand,” said Luke Metzger, the executive director of Environment Texas, a local nonprofit working to safeguard the state’s natural environment.

Question of infrastructure

That’s not the only question. King points out that there is also a question of whether all the proposed data centers will actually be built. He says if they don’t end up materializing, it could spell trouble for anyone making investment decisions based on the projections. And if infrastructure is built to accommodate the needs of projects that never come to fruition, those costs could be passed off to consumers in the form of higher rates.

Experts say these speculative data center projects have led to uncertainty around how much power will actually be needed to meet the demands of the state’s data centers.

Senate Bill 6, which was signed into law last June, outlined new requirements for data center projects, including stipulating that data centers put up more capital up front for things like transmission studies and interconnection fees. The bill is, in part, intended to reduce some of that uncertainty around speculative power loads.

Potential environmental impact

But concerns still remain around the potential environmental impact of the state’s data centers.

“There are an estimated 130 new gas-powered power plants that have been proposed for Texas, in part to meet this demand for data centers, and if they’re all built, that’s going to have as much climate pollution as 27 million cars,” said Metzger.

Above all, Metzger says the biggest uncertainty is water, as there is no central entity in the state that collects and compiles information on those needs.

On average, a single data center consumes millions of gallons of water annually, according to researchers with the University of Michigan. Metzger says that’s of particular concern here in Texas, where water supply is already being pushed to its limits.

“Texas is a very drought-prone state, and already, you know, you know, according to the Water Development Board, you know, we don’t have enough supply to meet demand,” said Metzger. “There is no way to make more water. And so, I think ultimately, you know that that could be the greatest concern for the state.”

Over the past year, residents across Central Texas have spoken out about data centers in places like Round Rock and Taylor, citing additional concerns including falling property values, noise, and health impacts.

What’s next:

Moving forward, experts recommend that local leaders undergo long-range planning to determine whether they’re able to allocate limited resources to data centers in the long run prior to approving these projects.

The Source: Information in this article comes from FOX 7 interviews with experts.

TexasTechnologyEnvironment

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Austin, TX

Silver Alert issued for missing 73-year-old man in Austin

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Silver Alert issued for missing 73-year-old man in Austin

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety has issued a Silver Alert for an elderly man who has been missing since Friday afternoon in Austin.

The Austin Police Department is looking for Charles Evans, a 73-year-old man diagnosed with a cognitive impairment. Evans was last seen at 5:37 p.m. on Jan. 9 in Austin.

Silver Alert issued for missing 73-year-old man in Austin

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Police describe him as a 6’3″ tall white male, weighing 225 pounds, has gray hair, hazel eyes, and who uses a walker.

Law enforcement officials believe his disappearance poses a credible threat to his health and safety.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-5000.

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