Dwight Look College of Engineering

General Statement

Engineering is the application of science and mathematics to the solution of relevant problems in our society. To a great extent, our current standard of living and high level of technology are due to the diligent and innovative efforts of engineers. In spite of the increasing expense of basic resources, modern engineers have succeeded in maintaining stable costs for a wide variety of goods, and at the same time have used their design and analysis abilities to introduce new products and technologies for the betterment of mankind.

The accelerating pace of industrial and technological developments has created an ever-increasing demand for highly qualified, professional engineers to maintain the momentum already achieved, and to extend and direct its course. The ever-expanding population and the increased demands for goods and services have imposed new challenges to present and future engineers to provide for these things and, at the same time, minimize the unwanted side effects of such efforts. Engineers recognize that all actions taken have their respective costs, and that solutions to long-standing societal problems are not found in confrontation but in careful, thorough planning and study. With a pragmatic background in problem solving, engineers are perhaps best qualified to address society’s problems.

The complexities of today’s environment are such that all resources must be used in the best possible manner. Thus, the Look College of Engineering, through its curricula, strives to educate and train engineers who have the breadth of vision to formulate and solve the problems of today and the future. It is expected that a student who conscientiously applies himself or herself and successfully completes one of these broad engineering programs will be not only technically trained but also humanly and socially educated, and thus well prepared to make a significant contribution to the world in which he or she works.

The mission of the Dwight Look College of Engineering is to serve the state, nation and global community by providing engineering graduates who are well founded in engineering fundamentals, instilled with the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior, and prepared to meet the complex technical challenges of society.

To achieve this mission the college is committed to:

  • ensuring an academic environment conducive to our faculties achieving the highest levels of academic and research excellence;
  • building upon our traditional partnerships with industry, engineering practitioners and former students, to enhance our impact on the profession of engineering;
  • encouraging excellence, innovation and cross-disciplinary initiatives in education and research;
  • providing national and international leadership in undergraduate and graduate engineering education;
  • becoming the engineering college of choice for the increasingly diverse citizenry of the state; and
  • encouraging and supporting opportunities for our students to grow beyond their chosen disciplines by participation in ethics, leadership programs, study-abroad programs and research.

A student engineer can pursue any one of several career plans, according to personal ambitions, interests and abilities. The student may choose the traditional B.S. degree and consider advanced research-oriented graduate programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Alternatively, the student may select the Doctor of Engineering program which is directed toward professional engineering practice and leads to the Doctor of Engineering degree. Within the Look College of Engineering, the undergraduate programs in aerospace, agricultural, biological systems, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, mechanical, nuclear, ocean, petroleum and radiological health engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc. (formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). The electronics, manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology program, a meld of the manufacturing engineering technology and mechanical engineering technology programs, will be submitted for accreditation review at the next general review of the engineering technology programs in 2006-2007. The Computer Science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc.

After graduation an engineer will probably work as a member of a team to solve a problem, or to design a product or process. Individually, the engineer’s responsibility can include many of the following: 1) the conception of the idea, including a careful delineation of the problem, 2) the design of the item or process, including operational and production requirements, 3) the selection of materials, 4) the determination of markets, 5) the assessment of sociological effects and determination of methods for controlling these effects, 6) the design or selection of machines for production and 7) the control of costs. At the present time, over two-thirds of all the technical and a large percentage of the managerial positions in industry are occupied by engineers. In addition, the reindustrialization of our nation will call for engineers to play even more of a leadership role in the future.