About the Center for Underground Infrastructure Research & Education (CUIRE)

CUIRE is a university/government/industry cooperative research center. The organizational structure of the CUIRE provides two lines of authority: The University of Texas at Arlington and the Industry Board (IB). The University provides an oversight committee that will supervise the everyday operations of the Center developed by the Industry Board (IB). The IB, composed of contractors, owners/public agencies, academics, engineers, general interest groups, and manufacturers, provides policy direction, reviews budgets, and monitors progress of projects. The IB is composed of one member from each organization that participates in the Industrial Consortium.

Funding: Funding for the CUIRE comes principally from industrial contributions, university support, symposia/seminar proceeds, university/industry consortium contributions, and funded research.

Mission

  • Develop a partnership among academe, industry (including manufacturing, engineering and contracting in all areas of gas, oil, water, sewer, communication, electric, etc.) and other organizations participating in the Center.
  • Develop new and cost-effective solutions to construct and renew aging underground infrastructure.
  • Create a better-trained, diverse workforce in the area of underground infrastructure technologies, and to improve the diversity of that work-force through proactive recruiting and innovative web-based cooperative outreach, training, teaching and learning.
  • Create new opportunities for providing interdisciplinary, hands-on education by facilitating exchange of students amongst groups with diverse research capabilities and interests.
  • Formulate cooperative research and development agreements, intellectual property agreements, and personnel exchanges.
  • Develop and implement new modes of technology transfer and entrepreneurship.
  • Create road maps for pipeline inspecting, real-time monitoring, GIS, GPS, and renewal integration.
  • Design, implement, and assess new educational approaches that provide more flexible and accessible career pathways for students.