Joining ForcesIn a groundbreaking partnership with the U.S. Army Futures Command, UT faculty, students and researchers will contribute futuristic research on robotics, as well as positioning, navigation and timing; network security; and hypersonics. American IngenuityAlumnus Gary Thomas has spent the past 40 years assembling one of the largest-known private collections of Ford automobiles. Navigating the ‘Hidden Curriculum’For first-generation students, the unwritten rules and expectations of higher education can present real challenges. Alumni NotesTexas Engineering alumni lead industries, launch companies and help develop solutions that improve lives around the world. Unsung HeroesFrom alumni outreach to student life programming, staff members dedicate themselves to improving and advancing the Cockrell School. Taking Care"Cockrell School Cares" shines a spotlight on challenging conversations, highlighting important themes of well being and belonging. Self-Tracking Today Can Keep the Doctor AwaySelf-quantification is making major strides in the consumer and commercial health care industries, and alumna Jackie Leverett Wasson has her finger on the pulse of this technological breakthrough. Creativity + CourseworkECE students are learning not just how to build something that works but how to design something that doesn’t yet exist. Creating a Platform for ChangeDriven by a passion for helping others, Mamadou Balde has developed a motivational speaking project aimed at benefitting our most underrepresented communities. A Meeting of Minds an Ocean ApartThe partnership between the Cockrell School and Portugal’s science and engineering research community is thriving. TEDx Takes Over Texas EngineeringTEDxUTAustin took over the Cockrell School’s Mulva Auditorium for a sold-out event titled “Origins of Tomorrow.” Inventing the Rechargeable WorldJohn Goodenough was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his pioneering development of the lithium-ion battery. Autonomy Just Got PersonalJunmin Wang is reluctant to use words like “autonomy” when discussing his work, opting instead for “personalized” as a more appropriate, less jarring description. Reaching for the StarsAlumnus Alan Stern reflects on leading the history-making mission to Pluto and shares insight into the future of commercial space travel. A Building With PurposeUT Austin has already firmly established itself as the energy university in the U.S. But the only missing piece has been the existence of a cutting-edge facility to allow for the pursuit of solutions to the energy challenges of the future. Until now. Breaking the MoldTwo "anti‑establishment" alumni entrepreneurs are reshaping the probiotic beverage market.