Dallas-based global infrastructure leader AECOM has announced a strategic partnership with Southern Methodist University that aims to advance artificial intelligence-driven research, workforce readiness, and long‑term talent development in infrastructure engineering.
The partnership will build on AECOM’s “deep domain expertise and global experience delivering complex infrastructure solutions” alongside SMU’s academic leadership and research excellence, AECOM said.
Program at SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering
Key to the partnership is a doctoral fellowship program within SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering, designed to develop advanced engineering and AI expertise in areas critical to the future of infrastructure delivery. Through what they intend to be a “sustained collaboration,” AECOM and SMU said they aim to strengthen the connection between academic research, real‑world application, and high‑value careers, “reinforcing the role of universities and industry as engines of workforce development and economic growth.”
AECOM Chairman and CEO Troy Rudd said that building the infrastructure of tomorrow “requires more than technology, it requires people with the skills, vision, and leadership to apply it responsibly and at scale.”
“This partnership with SMU reflects our commitment to talent and innovation, translating advanced AI research into practical solutions and meaningful careers that support resilient, future‑ready communities,” Rudd added in a statement.
Supporting PhD and Doctor of Engineering candidates
The fellowship program will support PhD and Doctor of Engineering candidates whose research focuses on applying AI to complex infrastructure challenges, the partners said. Fellows will work closely with SMU faculty and AECOM technical leaders on “complex, high‑value engineering challenges with real commercial application,” drawing on AECOM’s technical expertise and client experience to link academic discovery directly to industry.
“Preparing the next generation of engineers means closing the gap between academic research and real world application,” said Dr. Nader Jalili, Mary and Richard Templeton Dean of the Lyle School of Engineering at SMU. “Through this partnership, our doctoral fellows will be co-mentored by SMU faculty and AECOM technical leaders on real commercial applications.”
Jalili said the partnership will create “a seamless pipeline where our students translate rigorous academic discovery into immediate industry impact, culminating in clear career pathways that deliver lasting societal benefit.”
Announced at Industry Innovation Summit
The. partnership was announced at the Industry Innovation Summit 2026, hosted by the SMU Lyle Center for Digital and Human‑Augmented Manufacturing, with the news detailed by Lara Poloni and Janne Aas Jakobsen, alongside Dr. Nader Jalili, Dr. Amin Salehi-Khojin, and Dr. Usama El Shamy.
The partnership will be guided by a joint advisory board comprising representatives from both AECOM and SMU. The program preserves SMU’s academic independence and commitment to publishable research, the partners stressed—enabling knowledge generated through the collaboration “to contribute broadly to the advancement of science, engineering, and society.”
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