Richard Crawford

Dr. Richard H. Crawford is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, holding the Earl N. & Margaret Brasfield Endowed Faculty Fellowship. He directs the Design Projects Program and has been affiliated with the university since 1990. His expertise spans mechanical design, geometric modeling, and engineering education.

Education: BSME from Louisiana State University (1982), MSME and PhD from Purdue University (1985, 1989).

Research focuses on computer-aided design, additive manufacturing, and pre-college engineering education. Notable initiatives include the DTEACh program and the UTeach Engineering track, which developed the Engineer Your World curriculum adopted by over 200 US school districts.

Awards include the 1995 Fred Merryfield Design Award, 2010 Ralph Coates Roe Award, and 2011 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. His work bridges academia and industry through collaborations with Ford, IBM, and Sandia National Lab.

Recent research emphasizes watertight spline modeling, additive manufacturing processes, and educational frameworks for integrating engineering into science curricula. He leads the annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium.