Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists
President Mike Acosta
Michael Acosta directs External Relations for the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He is also the Director of the Border Office (at UTEP) of the U.S.-Mexico Foundation for Science (FUMEC). Michael has been with UTEP for thirteen years.
Michael also serves as the National President of MAES (the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists). MAES is one of the premier, long standing U.S. Hispanic technical membership organizations, have originated in 1974, with university student and professional chapters throughout the U.S., along with high school clubs as well. He has served on the MAES National Board of Directors for 15 years.
He has been instrumental in establishing key technology-based economic development endeavors as well as research and academic studies along the U.S.-Mexico border region. These include the Bi-National Sustainability Laboratory (BNSL), and the Paso del Norte Regional MEMS/NEMS Packaging Cluster (Microsystems and Nanotechnology), as part of the FUMEC Border Office endeavors.
Michael was awarded a grant from EDA for $400,000 in 2004 (as PI, through the FUMEC Border Office) as seed funding to establish the BNSL. Michael has continued to assist the BNSL (Executive Director, Dr. Paul Maxwell and his staff) with support and resources.
He also was the Co-PI for two EDA grants (totaling $3.2 million) awarded to UTEP (in 2003 and 2004) for the renovation of a former dormitory (Kelly Hall) to establish the Paso del Norte Regional Research and Business Development Complex at UTEP, a regional economic development center.
Michael was the Associate Director of the Institute for Policy and Economic Development (IPED) at UTEP for six years (2000-2006). He served as the Associate Director of the Texas Center for Border Economic Development and the Institute for Manufacturing and Materials Management (IM3) at UTEP for the previous six years (1994-2000).
Michael also taught the Electrical/Computer Engineering senior project (capstone) design courses at UTEP for ten years (1992-2002). He is an Alumnus of the UTEP College of Engineering, having received his B.S. in EE in 1971.
Prior to his career at UTEP, Michael had a 21 year career with IBM, as a technical manager and engineer (1973-1994), working in product design/development, advanced manufacturing, and product planning. He was an IBM Faculty Loan Program participant at UTEP for one academic year, 1992 1993, reporting to the UTEP Dean of the College of Engineering. Prior to his employment with IBM, Michael worked with Raytheon at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico for two years (1971 - 1973).
Michael has received several awards and recognition during his professional career. These include: the MAES Medalla de Oro Award (Gold Medal) in 1999, the HENAAC National Award for Outstanding Community Service in 2001, the SBA Award as the Minority Business Advocate of the Year for the El Paso/West Texas region in 2000.