He served in the United States Army Corps of Engineers during World War II.
After his military service Gloyna studied civil engineering at Texas Technological College, completing his bachelor's degree in 1946.
He further his study in the subject with a master's degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and joined the faculty upon graduation in 1949.
In 1953, Gloyna received a doctorate in environmental and water resources engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
[1][2] At UT, Gloyna held the Joe L. King Professorship,[3] and later the Bettie Margaret Smith Chair Emeritus in Environmental Health Engineering.