The College of Engineering at the University of Utah originated from the State School of Mines, established in the 1890s. Dedicated to enhancing Utah's mining industry, it was among the first engineering programs west of the Mississippi River.
The first modern four-year engineering degree at the school was introduced in 1895. Joseph F. Merrill was the first principal and the Merrill Engineering Building was named in his honor. Richard Lyman was recruited from Brigham Young Academy to teach the technical engineering curriculum. Lyman organized the first Department of Engineering in 1896.
During the past 118 years, the College has awarded nearly 24,000 engineering degrees. Many alumni have achieved international recognition in industry, manufacturing, research, education, law, medicine and many other professions.
Some of the companies founded by graduates and faculty of the College of Engineering include: TRW, Evans and Sutherland, Silicon Graphics, Netscape, WordPerfect, Sarcos, Opto 22, Novell, Atari, Adobe, and Pixar, to name a few. Many other graduates hold executive leadership positions in companies and educational institutions worldwide; several also actively serve their communities in civic and governmental leadership roles.
Today, approximately 3,400 undergraduate and nearly 1,100 graduate students are enrolled in the College. The College has 156 tenure and tenure-track faculty members and $81.5 million in engineering research expenditures, which places it 30th among 206 engineering colleges for research productivity.[2]
The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology has accredited the following undergraduate programs in the College of Engineering: bioengineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, and mechanical engineering.[3]
Rankings
The U.S. News & World Report ranks the College of Engineering at the University of Utah:[4]
#34 Biomedical Engineering (out of 107 graduate programs)
#48 Electrical/Electronic/Communications Engineering (out of 177 graduate programs)
The College is also home to four specialty engineering programs including computer engineering, entertainment arts and engineering, nuclear engineering and petroleum engineering, as well as 28 multidisciplinary research institutes and centers.
In 2014, the College began offering data center engineering and big data certificate programs. The data center engineering certificate program prepares undergraduates for work in data center operations and management by combining mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science coursework.[5] The big data certificate program draws on computer science coursework to provide graduate students and professional computer scientists the skills to process, analyze and manage large, complex data.[6]
Biomedical Engineering
The Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Utah offers undergraduate degrees in Biomedical Engineering and graduate degrees in Biomedical Engineering. The Department has major research funding that supports initiatives in:
Many Biomedical Engineering faculty members are adjunct faculty at University of Utah School of Medicine, leading to several successful interdisciplinary research projects between the School of Medicine and the College of Engineering.
Chemical Engineering
The Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Chemical Engineering. This Department was recently ranked 5th nationally in federal research and development funding. It has major research funding that supports initiatives in:
The Department of Chemical Engineering administers the petroleum engineering Master of Science degree. Launched in 2013, the program produces well-qualified engineers who are knowledgeable about the responsible development of oil and gas resources.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Civil and environmental engineering careers are ideal for students with both vision and analytic skills. As engineers develop in their careers, they will be challenged to imagine new ways to support the needs of business, industry, public agencies and nations.
At the University of Utah, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CvEEN) engineers are trained in professional communication, project management and their technical discipline with opportunities to seek advanced degrees in engineering, law, business or medicine. The department and local industry offer paid internships, scholarships and employment opportunities to help defray the cost of tuition and living expenses. CvEEN offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and has major research funding that supports initiatives in:
The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department is also home to the growing Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP). Master's and doctoral degrees are offered to those holding a B.S. degree in engineering or a science-related field. Undergraduates can take selected courses as technical electives and in preparation for nuclear engineering graduate degree programs. http://www.nuclear.utah.edu
Electrical and Computer Engineering
The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Utah offers undergraduate degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering as well as graduate degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering. The Department has major research funding that supports initiatives in:
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the School of Computing jointly administer the computer engineering specialty program. The interdisciplinary program teaches students both hardware and software skills, as well as how to combine the skillsets to become successful computer engineers. http://www.ce.utah.edu
Materials Science and Engineering
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in materials science and engineering. The department has major research funding that supports initiatives in:
The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in mechanical engineering. The department has major research funding that supports initiatives in:
The School of Computing at the University of Utah offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science. The department has major research funding that supports initiatives in:
The School of Computing is also home to the Entertainment Arts and Entertainment (EAE) Program, which is the result of interdisciplinary collaboration between the College of Engineering and the University of Utah College of Fine Arts. In 2014, the EAE Program was ranked second for its undergraduate program[7] and fourth for its graduate program[8] by the Princeton Review.
The School of Computing is also affiliated with the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, which focuses on research in visualization, scientific computing, and medical image analysis. The institute currently has over 200 faculty and staff, most of which are from the School of Computing or Bioengineering departments.[11]
Buildings
The John and Marva Warnock Engineering Building from the North.
Warnock Engineering Building
The John and Marva Warnock Engineering building (referred to as the WEB) houses the offices of the College of Engineering. It also is the home of the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute and numerous classrooms and study rooms. The building was named after John Warnock and his wife Marva Warnock, both of whom graduated from the University of Utah, after he generously donated almost $6 million for its construction in 2003.[12] Some additional funding for the project came from the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation. Construction on the building was completed in 2007.
The primary goal for building the WEB was to provide study space for students. The building is composed mainly of study rooms, classrooms, computer labs, and open spaces. The WEB is also home to the College of Engineering Dean's Office.
Civil and Materials Engineering
The Civil and Materials Engineering Building (referred to as the CME) is home to the Materials Science and Engineering Department and the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.
Kennecott Building
The Kennecott Building (referred to as Kenn) was built with generous support from Kennecott, operator of the Bingham Canyon Mine.
The Kennecott Building currently serves as classroom and lab space for the Mechanical Engineering Department. However, starting in 2012, the Kennecott building will be undergoing major renovations and expansions in a four-phase plan to move the entire department over to the new Kennecott building. The first phase will be completed in late 2013. After construction is complete, the Kennecott Building will house the entire Mechanical Engineering Department.
Floyd and Jeri Meldrum Civil Engineering Building
The Floyd and Jeri Meldrum Civil Engineering Building (referred to as the MCE) is a 14,500-square-foot addition to the former Energy and Minerals Research Building. It brings together civil, environmental, and nuclear engineering faculty into adjacent space with a newly designed transportation operations center and environmental engineering labs. The construction of the building was supported by a generous $3.3 million gift from Floyd and Jeri Meldrum of Las Vegas.[13]
The Joseph F. Merrill Engineering Building from the South.
Merrill Engineering Building
The Merrill Engineering building (referred to as the MEB) is named after Joseph F. Merrill who became the first principal of the College of Engineering. The first phase of construction on the Merrill Engineering Building was completed in 1960[14] and it served as the main building for the College of Engineering until the John and Marva Warnock Engineering building was completed. The building still houses most of the student and research labs used by the college of engineering.
The MEB also houses a TRIGA nuclear reactor 25 feet below ground level in a double-wall reactor tank filled with water that has been operating since 1975.[15] The reactor was featured in a report by ABC in 2005 about the security concerns with university research reactors. ABC felt that the security was inadequate, but that has been disputed by many other sources.[15]
The MEB is home to the School of Computing, the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, and the Chemical Engineering Department. It also has various classrooms, student labs, and student work areas.
James LeVoy Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building
The James LeVoy Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building (referred to as the SMBB), completed in 2012, is a 200,000-square-foot, $150 Million USTAR facility that supports research in medicine, pharmacy, engineering, microfluidics, computer science and life sciences. The building is physically located between the College of Health Sciences on the upper campus and the College of Engineering on the lower campus to serve as a research complex that connects faculty in multidisciplinary research areas between the two colleges.
Mark Fuller - CEO and co-founder of WET (Water Entertainment Technologies), an architectural water design firm that has internationally recognized performing water features in more than 20 countries.
Theodore "Ted" Jacobsen — Led Jacobsen Construction for 30 years, building Utah icons such as the Jon M. Huntsman Center and the Grand America Hotel.
Paul Hirst, P.E. — President and CEO of civil engineering firm Caldwell Richards Sorensen. Named distinguished alumnus in 2012.[16][17]
Mary Jesse - wireless pioneer, executive and board member, entrepreneur, inventor and Professional Engineer (PE).
Thomas Stockham - Father of digital recording, recipient of Grammy, Emmy and IEE fellowship. Led White House investigation team during Watergate scandal.
George R. Hill III - one time Dean of the College of Mines and Mineral Industries; held the Envirotech Professorship in Chemical Engineering in 1977[20]
Before becoming dean of the College of Engineering, Merrill was the director of the State School of Mines. The first modern four-year engineering degree at the school was introduced in 1895 with Joseph F. Merrill as the first principal. The first department of engineering was organized in 1896 with Merrill as the first dean.
Richard Ketchum joined the University of Utah in 1910 and became the second Chair of the Civil Engineering Department in 1919. He joined the Engineering Experiment Station in 1922 prior to serving as Dean.
Taylor joined the University of Utah in 1923 as an associate professor of mechanical engineering. Before becoming dean, he taught courses in automotive engineering and continued to serve as a professor of electrical engineering during his tenure.
Williams recruited key faculty members including Willem J. Kolff, Thomas Stockham and David Evans. He also cleared the way for the Computer Science Division of Electrical Engineering, which ultimately became the School of Computing. Credited as a pioneer of fracture mechanics, Williams oversaw the Interdisciplinary Institute for Materials Research, leading to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.
Brown was a professor of mechanical engineering prior to becoming the dean of the college. He is the founder of TerraTek a geomechanics measurement and analysis company, which was purchased by Schlumberger in 2006.[22] He is also the founder of the Utah Innovation Foundation, which is now called the Wayne Brown Institute, that helps develop early stage companies.
Lattman's educational and professional background, which include chemical engineering and geology, enabled him to concurrently serve as dean for both the College of Engineering and the College of Mines and Mineral Industries.
Andrade joined the University of Utah in 1969 as an assistant professor in materials science and engineering. Prior to becoming dean, he served as a faculty member in both bioengineering and materials science and engineering, as well as chair for the Department of Bioengineering.
Pershing joined the University of Utah as an assistant professor of chemical engineering in 1977. While serving as dean from 1987–1998, he was appointed acting vice president of academic affairs in 1997. In 1998, he became the university's senior vice president for academic affairs and in 2012, Pershing became the University of Utah's 15th president.
With expertise in semiconductors, Stringfellow joined the university as a professor of electrical engineering and materials science and engineering in 1980. From 1982–1985, he served as chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering — a position he would hold again from 1994–1998 before becoming dean. Stringfellow, Distinguished Professor in both the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Brown joined as dean in 2004, and also serves a professor in both the School of Computing and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as an adjunct professor in the Department of Bioengineering. Collaborating with alumni, academic, business and governmental leaders, Brown continues to build on his predecessor's efforts to expand the College's infrastructure, departments and academic programs.
References
^"Departments". University of Utah. 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
