Engaged learning is our focus in creating an adaptive, community-based, and inclusive student experience in the College of Engineering & Computer Science. By focusing on the entirety of the student experience, innovation will flourish. That is the goal of our Innovation Ecosystem in ECS, which involves bringing together a community of people, including faculty mentors, students, industry, campus partners, community colleges, and other innovative organizations.
The design for our Innovation Hub – which we expect to occupy by 2027 – is taking shape. We’re having forums with faculty, industry partners, and students to find out what elements would best support the curricular, co-curricular, and skills-based development of our students through the hub’s four major planned engaged learning areas: cybersecurity and advanced computing, advanced manufacturing, bioengineering, and geographic information systems.
In the meantime, we are looking at how to better support innovation through the student experience with our Innovation Ecosystem. Kiran George, our new associate dean of Innovation, Faculty Research, and Graduate Programs, is building out a student-centered innovation ecosystem, expanding external funding through faculty research, and identifying ways to enhance our graduate and international student programs.
The Innovation Launchpad and Innovation Idea Prototyping Hub, for which the college already received $30,000 from VentureWell, will allow us to build upon our existing framework of project-based, hands-on learning experiences and innovation challenges to help our student innovators go from ideation to prototyping and from conceptual development to testing and validation.
Part of our vision also involves inspiring students to innovate and get involved in STEM at an early age. Our memorandum of understanding with Samueli Academy cements the collaboration we’ve had with them for some time. Since I joined their Board of Trustees and Academic Committee, we’ve partnered with the Academy to bring in faculty speakers and mentors for special events and offered campus and lab tours, and this MOU expands our partnership.
An ecosystem is only as strong as the systems contained within it, so we must ensure we’re partnering with our K-14 schools to encourage the pursuit of STEM degrees. Events like our ECS Student Project Innovation Expo and Manufacturing Day provide fantastic ways to complete a pipeline of curiosity and innovation.
Expanding the student experience involves state and private investment. We are grateful to alumni, such as Peter Bilello, who have chosen to invest in the co-curricular dimension of our student experience. These investments spark a tremendous amount of social good and educational opportunity. Peter is not alone; Support from our corporate partners, grants, and the community enhances our ability to build a community of innovators that is inclusive, adaptive, and community-based. With the new ECS Innovation Hub coming, we have an opportunity to dream big and partner with those who see education as a vessel of opportunity and upward social mobility.
As we celebrate another group of wonderful ECS graduates who embark on their professional journey ready to make positive contributions to our society, we continue to move forward with intention and invite all of you to join us!
Susan Barua
Dean, College of Engineering & Computer Science
