Purdue News
Purdue News
|
|
April 9, 2004 New engineering identity shifts focus to collaborationWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue University Board of Trustees voted today (Friday, 4/9) to rename the Schools of Engineering the College of Engineering. Purdue Provost Sally Mason said name change reflects a shift in the engineering discipline toward more multidisciplinary work, where boundaries between specific fields have become less distinct. "As the focus of engineering shifts to collaboration across disciplines, it is crucial for us to emphasize the common characteristics across engineering," Mason said. "Each of the College of Engineering's eight signature areas – including nanotechnology, tissue and cellular engineering, and advanced materials and manufacturing – require collaboration and cooperation among researchers in the different disciplines that make up the college." The other signature areas in the College of Engineering – as established by its strategic plan – are global sustainable industrial systems; information, communications and perception technologies; intelligent infrastructure systems; renewable energy and power systems; and the system of systems. Linda P.B. Katehi, John A. Edwardson Dean of Engineering said, "In 1950, Purdue consolidated its engineering disciplines under the name Schools of Engineering to emphasize each school's autonomy and unique characteristics that made it a leader in their fields. At the same time, however, our peer institutions opted for the name College of Engineering to establish a common identity connecting their disciplines." Katehi said that not only did Purdue's naming go against norms in the field, but it also created confusion, both inside and outside of the university. She said the change was supported by the college's Engineering Advisory Committee, the Engineering Alumni Association and engineering faculty, staff and student organization leadership. The College of Engineering is made up of 11 schools and departments: aeronautics and astronautics, agricultural and biological, biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical and computer, engineering education, industrial, materials, mechanical, and nuclear. Purdue's College of Engineering includes more than 6,400 undergraduate students and almost 2,500 graduate students. In its most recent rankings, U.S. News and World Report named Purdue the No. 8 engineering program in the country, and many of Purdue's programs were ranked in the top 10 nationally. Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu Sources: Sally Mason, (765) 494-9709, sfmason@purdue.edu Linda P.B. Katehi, (765) 494-5346, katehi@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu Related Web site:
|
