Purdue University College of Engineering
| Established | 1876 |
|---|---|
| Dean | Leah H. Jamieson |
Academic staff | 339 |
| Undergraduates | 6,139 |
| Postgraduates | 2,211[1] |
| Location | , , |
| Affiliations | Purdue University |
| Website | engineering.purdue.edu |
The Purdue University College of Engineering is one of eight major academic divisions, or Colleges, of Purdue University. Purdue was founded in the 19th century to primarily be a university for engineering. Consequently, Purdue has spent a considerable amount of attention towards developing one of the finest engineering programs in America. Purdue was one of the first universities that specialized in aerospace engineering, and later, astronautical engineering. This resulted in the creation of a top-ranked School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Purdue's Aeronautical and Astronautical engineering program is one of the most elite of it's type in America. Purdue University, along with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have had more alumni chosen for space flights than any other non-military institutions in America. Purdue engineering alumni have flown on approximately 37% of all U.S. manned space flights as well as served on 39 flights of the space shuttle. Purdue' engineering program has educated 22 of America's astronauts from its School of Aeronautics and Astronautics' engineering program, including Neil Armstrong and Eugene Cernan who were the first and last astronauts to have walked on the moon.[2][3]
Departments
The College of Engineering contains nine Schools, two Departments, and three Divisions:
Schools
- Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering
Departments
- Agricultural and Biological Engineering
- Engineering Education
Divisions
- Construction Engineering and Management
- Engineering Professional Education
- Environmental and Ecological Engineering
Location
Armstrong Hall of Engineering, named after Neil Armstrong, is the flagship of the College of Engineering and home to its administrative offices, the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Projects In Community Service (EPICS), Engineering Education, the Minority Engineering Program, and the Women in Engineering Program. Many other campus buildings house faculty offices, classrooms, and laboratories for engineering programs, such as the Biomedical Engineering Building, the Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering, and Potter Engineering Center.[4]
History
The Morrill Act, signed by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, set the stage for the state of Indiana to establish a college for agriculture and the mechanical arts. In 1874, Purdue established four-year bachelor's degree programs in civil engineering and mechanical engineering. The School of Mechanical Engineering was created in 1882, although none of Purdue's students at the time was actually qualified to enroll in any of its courses. In 1911, the School of Chemical Engineering was founded. The Agricultural Engineering program was established in 1925; it would be renamed the Division of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in 2005. In 1942, the School of Mechanical Engineering was renamed the School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering; the Aeronautical Engineering program would be split out into the School of Aeronautics in 1945 and the School of Aeronautical Engineering in 1953. That same year, the Industrial Engineering Department was founded, with some courses taught by Lillian Moller Gilbreth. The 1960s saw the establishment of the Nuclear Engineering and Women in Engineering programs. In 1971, the National Society of Black Engineers was founded on the Purdue campus by two undergraduates. The Construction Engineering and Management Division was created in 1976. In the late 1980s, the Materials and Electrical Engineering Building was completed, providing much-need space for the growing the Schools of Materials and Electrical Engineering. In 1995, the Engineering Projects In Community Service program was established at Purdue. Three years later, Purdue's Biomedical Engineering program would be founded; in 2004, it would be expanded into the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. Also in 2004, the College of Engineering was formed as an umbrella organization for the many Schools, Departments, and Divisions of Purdue's engineering programs. That same year (2004), the Engineering Education Department, the first of its kind in the nation, was created. Three significant College of Engineering structures would be built over the next few years: the Birck Nanotechnology Center (2005) and the Biomedical Engineering Building (2006), both part of Discovery Park; and the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, completed in 2007.[5]
Rankings
The College of Engineering's undergraduate and graduate engineering programs are highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report as some of the best engineering programs in America. Many of Purdue's engineering programs are ranked within the top 10 nationally, or near the top 10, resulting in Purdue's College of Engineering coming in 9th overall for undergraduate and 12th overall for graduate programs in the United States. 2007 Individual rankings are listed below.[6]
| Academic Unit | Undergrad. | Grad. |
|---|---|---|
| College of Engineering (overall) | 9th | 12th |
| Industrial Engineering | 3rd | 6th |
| Nuclear Engineering | 4th | 8th |
| Civil Engineering | 8th | 7th |
| Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering | 6th | 6th |
| Mechanical Engineering | 7th | 7th |
| Computer Engineering | 11th | 11th |
| Electrical Engineering | 12th | 10th |
| Chemical Engineering | 15th | 14th |
| Materials Engineering | 12th | 14th |
| Environmental Engineering | 19th | 16th |
| Biomedical Engineering | 24th | |
| Agricultural and Biological Engineering | 4th | 2nd |