Engineering @ Northeastern Magazine
I am pleased to present the 2011 issue of Engineering @ Northeastern, which provides a glimpse of the College and its accomplishments.
Our “magnetic” cover story provides an apt metaphor for this column: People and organizations are being drawn to Northeastern like never before.
The university’s appeal among prospective undergraduate students led to a record 43,000 applications for 2,800 seats across our seven colleges this fall. In engineering, 5,200 students—double the number of just five years ago—applied for this fall’s 500 first-year slots, with academic credentials surpassing those of any previous class. Meanwhile, at the Graduate School of Engineering, applications increased by 40 percent, continuing a significant growth trend over the past several years. New doctoral programs in bioengineering and information assurance are particular draws.
We have expanded the ranks of our engineering faculty by 25 percent over the past four years. Our eight national research centers; multifaceted partnerships with academia, government, and industry; and stunningly transformed campus at the doorstep of Boston’s technology, medical, and cultural corridors are attracting established and rising stars across all engineering disciplines (see page 14). In June of this year, we completed construction of the 70,000-squarefoot George J. Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security, in which faculty and partners will conduct groundbreaking research in the security domain.
Northeastern’s century-old and signature program—cooperative education—continues to thrive, with a 100 percent placement rate for engineering undergraduates, and 250 graduate students now engaged in co-op positions through a program launched just a few years ago. The attraction of co-op among students and employers clearly is mutual.
While our global reach does not yet extend to both poles, we continue to expand our international focus. Notable pursuits include our research program with the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology to develop new ways to fight terrorism; a novel capstone design project for Tyco International that brought together a team of undergraduate engineering students at Northeastern and China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University; and our “NU in” program, through which 60 engineering freshmen will study at international partner institutions during the fall semester.
As you read about our use-inspired research and the achievements of our faculty and students, I encourage you to consider ways that you and your organization can connect and engage with Northeastern University. Your comments, ideas, and suggestions are most welcome and much appreciated.
Best Regards,
David E. Luzzi
Dean of Engineering
dean@coe.neu.edu
Previous Edition:
2010 Engineering @ Northeastern
2009 NU Engineer
2008 NU Engineer