The Penn State College of Engineering is the
engineering school of the Pennsylvania State
University, headquartered at the University
Park campus in University Park, Pennsylvania.
It was established in 1896, under the leadership
of George W. Atherton. Today, with 13 academic
departments and degree programs, over 11,000
enrolled undergraduate and graduate students
(8,166 at the University Park campus, and
3,059 at other campuses), and research expenditures
of $124M for the 2016-2017 academic year,
the Penn State College of Engineering is one
of the leading engineering schools in the
United States. It is estimated that at least
one out of every fifty engineers in the United
States got their bachelor's degree from Penn
State. Dr. Justin Schwartz currently holds
the position of Harold and Inge Marcus Dean
of Engineering.
== History ==
=== 
The Early Years: 1855 – 1895 ===
In 1854, the Pennsylvania legislature granted
a charter to The Farmers’ High School. The
purpose of the institution, according to the
1859 catalogue, was to “adopt a system of
instruction which shall embrace […] those
departments of all sciences which have a practical
or theoretical bearing upon agriculture.”
The Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society
encountered little resistance to the proposal,
and the revised charter – dated February
22, 1855 – became the official founding
day of what would become Penn State. A legislative
appropriation of $25,000 – along with an
additional pledge of $25,000, plus funds raised
through public subscription and private donation
– was used for the construction of the Main
Building on 200 acres of in Centre County,
near the geographic center of the state. The
first class of 69 students was admitted in
February 1859.
==== Pugh’s Establishment of an Engineering
Foundation ====
Evan Pugh was selected as the first head of
the Farmer's High School, and his appointment
began in 1860. Pugh had received his Ph.D.
from the University of Goettingen in 1854,
and his vision for the Farmers’ High School
included an expansion beyond agriculture into
fields that would be of benefit to the nation
as a whole. Chief among these were engineering
and “industrial arts” – subjects which
required a high degree of both theoretical
and practical knowledge, such as surveying
and carpentry.
This notion was considered radical at the
time, since American universities of Pugh's
era tended to focus on topics such as ancient
languages, philosophy, and rhetoric, which
Pugh felt were inadequate for a nation seeking
to “tame a hostile natural environment”
and maintain economic and political importance
upon the global stage. At the time of Pugh's
appointment, fewer than 12 universities offered
baccalaureate programs in engineering, and
produced fewer than 200 graduates combined;
in most of those curricula, engineering was
included as one of several subjects of study,
rather than as its own major. The overarching
belief was that because engineering was utilitarian
and benefitted the many, it was inferior to
the classics, which focused on the mental
and moral improvement of the student; the
prevailing thought – especially at tradition-bound
schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth
– was that integrating engineering with
classics would subvert the purpose of higher
education. In Pugh's time, most engineering
programs focused almost exclusively on developing
skills within civil engineering – e.g. canals,
railroads, bridges – for obvious reasons:
the expansion of the nation required knowledge
of developing infrastructure. Pugh realized
that on-the-job training (the most common
form of learning a profession), combined with
the nation's economic and geographic growth,
would not adequately meet the demand for educated
professionals familiar with the “mechanic
arts.”
The passing of the Morrill_Land-Grant_Acts
in July 1862 presented Pugh with the opportunity
to help secure the School's future. Under
the terms of the Act, a land grant bequeathed
upon an institution 30,000 acres for each
senator and representative of the institution's
state; this land was then to be sold, and
the profits of the sale – which could take
months or years to be fully realized – would
be used to fund colleges with four-year curricula.
Pugh was instrumental in securing the School
as sole recipient of all land-grant revenues
in 1863, although his untimely death from
typhoid in April 1864 resulted in his vision
of industrial education being delayed by several
decades.
==== Development of the Mechanic Arts Program
====
William H. Allen was elected to succeed Pugh
in 1864. Allen was a professor of chemistry
and natural history at Dickinson College.
Unlike Pugh, Allen showed little interest
in broadening the curriculum, and instead
focused on the political challenges the university
faced at the time: specifically, a debt of
$50,000 (stemming, in part, from the university's
inability to dispose of the 780,000 acres
of land scrip granted by the Morrill Act)
and lobbying efforts from other Pennsylvania
colleges challenging university's designation
as the commonwealth's sole land-grant institution.
The lobbying efforts (and resulting redistribution
bill) were defeated in 1865, but left the
university in such a dire state financially
that mortgage bonds of $80,000 were issued,
both to pay off debt and to establish a working
fund.
The first true champion of the mechanic arts
at Penn State was John Fraser, appointed as
a professor of mathematics in 1865 and as
president of the university in 1866 after
Allen's resignation. Fraser's time in the
Union army served him well at Penn State,
becoming the school's first lecturer in military
tactics, and military drill was substituted
for farm labor for the students. Fraser aimed
to expand upon Pugh's vision, and the first
four courses added for the 1868-69 academic
year were general science, literature, mechanical
and civil engineering, and metallurgy, mineralogy,
and mining. Each was a four-year curriculum
leading to a Bachelor of Science degree. The
falling enrollment numbers of the time – 145
students in 1864-65, 114 in 1866, 82 in 1867,
and 30 in 1868, with no class graduating in
1867 – led to a cautious approach to the
expansion of the curriculum: the catalogue
for the 1868-69 academic year listed mechanical
and civil engineering, but the trustees did
not hire faculty to provide instruction. After
Fraser's resignation in March 1868, the trustees
dissolved the new curricula and reduced the
total faculty to four (two of whom eventually
resigned), and the university faced a severe
lack of public confidence in the stability
of the institution.
Fraser was succeeded by Thomas H. Burrowes,
who felt that the intentions of the Morrill
Act would be best served by the original setup
of the farmers’ high school. Burrowes reinstated
manual labor and offered a single course of
study. Under the Burrowes system, the Agricultural
Course was mandatory, and students were awarded
a Bachelor of Scientific Agriculture degree
after three years of study. The (optional)
fourth year was the Scientific Course, intended
for “civil engineers, general mechanics
etc.” and leading to a Bachelor of Science
degree; despite its name, the Scientific Course
included little formal instruction in engineering,
and no engineering faculty were hired. A fifth
year (also optional) was known as the Literary
Course, which closely mirrored the traditional
format of a classics education, and culminated
in a Bachelor of Arts degree. The agriculture-intensive
curriculum had minimal impact on enrollment:
the 1870-71 academic year saw 59 enrolled
students, 52 of which were in their first
or second year of study. The fact that agriculture
was insufficient to support an entire college
was experienced by many land-grant institutions,
and the challenge of incorporating a non-agriculture
curriculum reform was exacerbated by the general
indifference of the Pennsylvania legislature
toward land-grant institutions as a whole.
It was felt that, as the school was an instrument
of the commonwealth, it should be supported
via regular state appropriations; however,
critique for curriculum reform was often received
from Harrisburg, but not the money necessary
to enact it. The financial burden from Allen's
administration continued, and Burrowes died
of exposure (as a consequence of a mountain
outing with students) in February 1871 without
seeing his three-course format implemented.
==== The Calder Era ====
The Reverend James Calder was elected as Penn
State's fifth president in 1871. Calder eliminated
Burrowes’ proposed three-course system and
reinstated the four-year curriculum and felt
that the Morrill Act envisioned more than
simply formal instruction in agriculture,
reincorporating several elements of orthodox
classical institutions. The university began
to offer non-agricultural baccalaureate degrees,
and adopted the name Pennsylvania State College
in 1874 to reflect the broadened curriculum.
No provisions were made for mechanic arts,
save for how they related to agriculture and
scientific courses. Routine field demonstrations
of various farm implements began to be incorporated
into the curriculum, and civil engineering
coursework was offered only at a high level;
labs and practicums were nonexistent, as the
“applications of knowledge” available
at local businesses (e.g. textile factories,
gas and water works, and coal mines) were
felt to be sufficient. Meanwhile, colleges
and universities across the nation with dedicated
engineering departments rose to 70 by 1872
– more than half of which were land-grant
endowments – and Penn State continued to
lag due to the insistence on imitating classical
institutions. The receipts from sale of land
scrip were converted to an interest-bearing
bond in 1872, leading to (among other things)
the abolishing of tuition in 1874: students
were instead charged a flat $20 annual fee
for fuel, lighting, and janitorial service.
Only 14 students graduated during 1875 – 1877,
and dissatisfaction with Calder's administration
among trustees, faculty, and the legislature
led to his resignation in 1879.
==== Shortlidge and the McKee Interregnum
====
Joseph Shortlidge succeeded Calder in 1880,
and his first act was to offend trustees,
faculty, students, and the general public
with his address at the commencement exercises
in July 1880. The Shortlidge administration
saw the formation of the Wickersham Committee,
formed to assist with the massive reform needed
to help the College satisfy the needs of the
nation's most industrialized state. In Shortlidge's
own words, “as an industrial college, we
are a failure”; however, the three-professor
panel was staffed with faculty whom Shortlidge
believed would be lukewarm toward reorganization.
The exception proved to be Thornton Osmond,
professor of physics, who launched his own
unofficial reorganization study – with the
support of sympathetic faculty and trustees
– due to the slowness of the Wickersham
Committee and the entrenched stance of the
other faculty on Shortlidge's panel. The very
existence of Osmond's “committee” demonstrated
how strained relations between the president
and faculty had become, and Shortlidge presented
his resignation in 1881 “couched in terms
so offensive […] that the [trustees] accepted
it forthwith.”
Osmond's recommendations were presented to
– and almost immediately accepted by – acting
president James Y. McKee. The proposed curriculum
would include six courses of study: two “general”
(scientific and classical holdovers from Calder),
four “technical” (agricultural, natural
history, chemistry, physics, and civil engineering),
and practicums in the mechanic arts. This
proposal was accepted by the trustees, who
named Louis A. Barnard, a highly-experience
civil engineer, to head the department of
civil engineering. So confident were the trustees
in Osmond's recommendations, and McKee's acceptance
of them, that they asked the General Assembly
to investigate the affairs of the College,
calculating that the probe would vindicate
the reorganization efforts and attract more
students. When published in February 1882,
the report not only vindicated the reorganization
efforts, but also urged the Pennsylvania legislature
to make “periodic and generous appropriations”
to Penn State: “[…] the state should give
it such fostering care as will make it not
only an object of just pride, but a source
of immeasurable benefit to our sons and daughters.”
==== 
Atherton and the Birth of the College of Engineering
====
The appointment of George Atherton as president
in 1882 created an era of extraordinary stability
and growth for Penn State. Top priority was
given to enlarging the engineering program,
and Atherton immediately approved an equipment
expenditure of $3,000 for practicums and laboratory
sessions. Atherton held strongly to the view
that Penn State should be an engineering and
industrial institution, rather than a classical
one, and that classics should not be a “leading
object” in a college curriculum. The logical
conclusion of this was that mechanic arts
were also to be placed on par with agriculture,
given the rapid industrialization of the nation.
All students now took identical coursework
during their freshman and sophomore years,
with a specialization in engineering reserved
for their junior and senior years.
Additionally, short courses (three in agriculture,
one in chemistry, one in mining, and one in
elementary mechanics) began to be offered,
with no admission or degree requirements.
Despite the improvements to the civil engineering
curriculum, Atherton knew that further evolution
was needed. To that end, he challenged Louis
Reber, a mathematics instructor, to attend
MIT for graduate work in mechanical engineering
– and to pay particular attention to the
processes and procedures used for engineering
education – in order to develop Penn State's
two-year mechanic arts program into a four-year
mechanical engineering curriculum. Reber took
to the challenge, and also studied engineering
education methods in use at Worcester Polytechnic
Institute, Stevens Institute of Technology,
Washington University in St. Louis, and the
University of Minnesota to establish a baseline
for Penn State's program, which at that time
consisted of mechanical drawing, woodworking,
and carpentry. Reber also supervised the installation
of a forge and foundry, and in 1884 asked
for $3,500 to construct new building solely
devoted to mechanic arts; Atherton immediately
approved Reber's request, and the resulting
building was the first structure erected for
purely academic purposes. Machinery and equipment
for the building were purchased at reduced
prices from equipment manufacturers based
on the advertising potential and inherent
goodwill to be found in labeling items “for
educational purposes.”
In addition to providing instruction, the
mechanical engineering department also managed
the pumphouse, steam heating plant, and (beginning
in 1887) the fifty-horsepower steam engine
and generator used to power the incandescent
lighting at the campus. The students thus
gained practical experience via the chores
required to manage and maintain these machines.
The creation of the mechanical engineering
curriculum segregated students into “general”
and “technical” paths (not entirely dissimilar
to modern-day general education and major-specific
instruction requirements), and the curriculum
featured what is now considered “typical”
coursework in science and mathematics, as
well as several practicums (one for each of
the fall, winter, and spring terms) to develop
skills such as drawing, pattern making, surveying,
chemistry, mechanics, forging, and machine
construction.
Thornton Osmond also issued recommendations
that electrical engineering be spun off into
its own field (it had previously resided in
the physics department); Atherton approved
this request, and the Department of Physics
and Electrotechnics was created in 1887 to
explore the practical applications of electricity.
The revised engineering curricula proved popular:
of the 92 students enrolled for the 1887-88
academic year, over 35% were in engineering
(18 mechanical, 15 civil). The subsequent
year's enrollment rose to 113, of which 42%
in engineering (22 mechanical, 17 civil, 9
electrical).
The growing popularity of the engineering
curricula also required physical growth of
the campus. In 1891, $100,000 was allotted
to construct a building devoted entirely to
engineering. This building, named Main Engineering,
was dedicated on February 22, 1893, with most
of the dedication speech focused on the importance
of an engineering education to national prosperity
and progress. Additional machinery, including
Allis-Chalmers triple-expansion steam engine
(extensively modified for laboratory instruction
and experimentation), was purchased and installed.
The engineering program continued to expand
its offerings: in 1893, the trustees approved
the addition of a course in mining engineering,
with Magnus C. Ihlseng (formerly of the Colorado
School of Mines) named professor and department
head. Electrical engineering fully split from
Physics and Electrotechnics, becoming its
own department headed by John Price Jackson
–who, at age 24, is easily the youngest
department head on campus. By 1890, Main Engineering
housed four engineering departments (civil,
mechanical, mining, and electrical) in space
originally intended for two. Increases in
enrollment remained unceasing: in the 1890-91
academic year there were 127 undergraduates,
73 of which are in engineering (37 civil,
19 mechanical, 17 electrotechnical); by 1893,
this had increased to 181 students, 128 in
engineering (57 electrical, 44 mechanical,
18 civil, 9 mining). Needless to say, the
overcrowding became problematic.
Coursework expansions were also underway.
The department of civil engineering began
to include instruction in sanitary and hydraulic
engineering; however, students still did not
yet have the opportunity to specialize in
specific facet of desired profession outside
of lab and thesis work. In 1894, a new curriculum
requirement was added: all freshmen, sophomore,
and junior engineering students were required
to take a two-week summer course to gain field
experience via visits to coal mines, railroad
shops, foundries, power stations, and similar
businesses. This marked the first offering
of a summer session in Penn State history.
The increasing demand led to the formation
of seven schools within Penn State. The Second
Morrill Act (1890) gave each land-grant institution
$15,000, which increased at a rate of $1,000
per year (to a maximum of $25,000), to be
invested in instruction in agriculture, mechanic
arts, etc. with “specific reference to their
applications in the industry of life.” Engineering
absorbed most of the at the expense of development
of non-technical curricula. Atherton remained
convinced that the college should increase
instruction in liberal studies for all students,
to become “[men] of broad culture and good
citizen[s].” To that end, the establishment
of the seven schools was intended to eliminate
duplication of instruction and resources while
also encouraging and facilitating cooperation
among related departments. Perhaps most importantly,
it also shifted the burden of administration
from the president's office onto the deans.
Louis Reber became the first dean of the School
of engineering, which exercised authority
over the civil, mechanical, and electrical
engineering departments. The mining engineering
curriculum formed the core for the School
of Mines, with Magnus Ihlseng named as dean.
== Student body ==
The College of Engineering student body is
relatively large, with a total of 8,166 undergraduate
and 1,441 graduate students enrolled at University
Park at the start of the Fall 2016 semester.
The average class size for courses within
the engineering majors is 25 students, and
engineering students account for 21% of the
total number of students in the Schreyer Honors
College.
The average SAT score for accepted applicants
is 1270 on the 1600 SAT, or 1786 on the 2400
SAT. The average GPA of applicants is 3.6.
For the 2015-2016 academic year, the college
awarded 1,712 undergraduate and 471 graduate
degrees in engineering disciplines.
== Academic rankings and degrees offered ==
The Penn State College of Engineering offers
bachelor's (B.S.), master's (M.S.), and doctorate
(Ph.D.) degrees in several majors. Master
of Engineering (M.Eng.) degrees are offered
in certain subjects as a professional degree.
All majors listed below offer bachelor's degrees
for their undergraduate programs. The M.S.
degrees offered typically require research
work culminating in a thesis (traditional
M.S.), although some departments offer a non-thesis
M.S. option. Several certificate options are
also offered, including Engineering and Community
Engagement; engineering design, housing, international
engineering, nanotechnology; and space systems
engineering.
Certain majors (such as surveying engineering
and several engineering technology disciplines)
are only offered at Penn State commonwealth
campuses, whereas other disciplines (such
as environmental systems engineering, materials
science and engineering, mining engineering,
and petroleum and natural gas engineering)
are offered through the College of Earth and
Mineral Sciences.
The departments of Materials Science and Engineering,
Mining Engineering, Petroleum and Natural
Gas Engineering, Environmental Systems Engineering,
and Energy Engineering are under the College
of Earth and Mineral Sciences. The Department
of Materials Science & Engineering is ranked
#10 nationally, and the petroleum engineering
program is ranked #4 nationally.
The most recent rankingsfor Penn State's undergraduate
engineering programs are:
The most recent rankings for Penn State's
graduate engineering programs are:
The College of Engineering is also highly
ranked at the program level:
=== Starting salaries by major and return
on investment ===
The median starting salaries for graduates
with a bachelor's degree from the College
of Engineering range from approximately $57,000
to over $83,000, depending on major, with
bachelor's degree graduates from several majors
earning a median salary of over $60,000. The
college is ranked #19 in terms of best return
on investment, with a thirty-year net average
ROI of $789,300.
== Laboratory and Research Centers ==
In addition to intradepartmental research,
Penn State College of Engineering faculty
and students also conduct research through
interdisciplinary research centers and interdisciplinary
research institutes:
=== Interdisciplinary research units ===
Applied Research Laboratory (ARL): a DOD designated
U.S. Navy University Affiliated Research Center
and the university's largest research unit
Battery and Energy Storage Technology Center
(BEST): specializing in the emerging research
field of energy storage
Center for Acoustics and Vibration (CAV):
a group of nine laboratories performing interdisciplinary
research into areas such as active and passive
vibration control, adaptive structures, rotorcraft
acoustics, underwater acoustics, and flow-induced
noise and vibration
Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences: a collection
of institutes and Centers of Excellence performing
research into fields such as ecology, bioinformatics,
integrative and biomedical physiology, neuroscience,
statistical genetics, and plant biology, among
numerous others
Institute for Computational Science: a high-performance
computing facility capable of performing advanced
simulation, statistical modeling, data analysis,
data mining, and data mining
Materials Research Institute: an interdisciplinary
institute undertaking research efforts into
2D materials (e.g. graphene) and coatings,
additive manufacturing, humanitarian materials,
nanoscale electromagnetics, nanofibers, optical
metamaterials, and piezoelectric thin films,
among others
Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment:
an interdisciplinary unit focusing research
efforts on future energy supply (including
solar photoconversion and wind energy, as
well as economic effects of energy generation),
smart energy systems, health and environmental
effects of energy, ecosystem effects of energy,
and water and biogeochemical cycles
=== 
Institutes ===
Energy Engineering and Environmental Institute
(E3I): focuses on topics such as water purification,
remote sensing platforms for environmental
studies, biofuels production in order to promote
the development of sustainable technologies
Facilities Engineering Institute: aims to
advance facilities engineering objectives
through applied research, and provides facilities
engineering services and education programs,
as well as energy management services to several
Pennsylvania state agencies, the federal government,
and several nonprofit organizations
Institute for Networking and Security Research
(INSR): offering expertise in mobile networking,
protocol design, performance analysis, wireless
communication, networked application, Internet
security, secure operating systems, secure
wireless ad hoc networks, and secure telecommunication
systems
Institute for Natural Gas Research: an integration
of over two dozen research centers across
all Penn State campuses, focused on transition
to low-carbon energy supplies through unconventional
oil and gas applications
Larson Transportation Institute: a premier
transportation research center hosting the
Bus Research and Testing Center, the Center
for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, and the
Northeast Center of Excellence for Pavement
Technology
=== 
Centers and laboratories ===
Center for Combustion, Power, and Propulsion:
an internationally focused and collaborative
center dedicated to the improved understanding
of combustion fundamentals and application
of combustion science to advanced technologies,
including advanced power generation, energetic
materials, and molecular dynamics modeling
Center for e-Design: a joint coalition consisting
of seven universities and several industry
and government organizations, focusing on
establishing new design tools to generate
high-quality products at reduced cost
Center for Health Organization Transformation:
a cooperative research center funded by the
National Science Foundation focusing on supporting
healthcare management, clinical, and information
technology innovations
Center for Innovative Materials Processing
Through Direct Digital Deposition (CIMP-3D):
dedicated to advancing and deploying additive
manufacturing technology of metallic and advanced
material systems to critical components and
structures
Center for Innovative Sintered Products: a
center focused on the development of new technology
for sintered material, particulates, refractory,
and hard materials
Center for Multiscale Wave-Materials Interactions:
a multidisciplinary center focused on the
interactions of materials subjected to individual
wavelengths and combinations of waves
Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization:
an NSF-funded Advanced Technology Education
Center dedicated to the research and development
of nanotechnology, including the incorporation
of nanotechnology into both education and
industry applications
Center for Neural Engineering: an inter-college
research center dedicated to the development
of the next generation of medical smart devices
for clinical treatments of diseases of the
brain
Center for Service Enterprise Engineering:
the first U.S. academic center dedicated entirely
to the study and practice of service engineering,
focusing on the study, design, and implementation
of revenue management, workforce planning,
and service quality management; the Center
focuses primarily on the hospitality, recreation,
transportation, telecommunication, and security
sectors
Communications and Space Sciences Laboratory:
an interdisciplinary research center focusing
on electromagnetic phenomena for probing the
dynamics of the atmosphere and ionosphere,
as well as the study of electromagnetic phenomena
such as pulse propagation and scattering and
the design of antennae
Electrochemical Engine Center: focused on
conducting fundamental and applied research
on fuel cells and advanced battery and energy
storage technologies for electrochemical power
devices, including electric propulsion and
stationary power generation, as well as personal
and portable electronics
High Pressure Combustion Laboratory: focused
on conducting fundamental and applied research
on gaseous, solid, liquid, and gel propellants
for rocket and gun propulsion systems, as
well as metal combustion and solid fuels for
ramjets and hybrid propulsion systems, ablation/erosion
of rocket nozzle materials, insulation, and
heat shield materials
Housing Research Center: dedicated to serving
the homebuilding industry through the improvement
of the quality and affordability of housing
Hydrogen Energy Center: an interdisciplinary
center focused on hydrogen-based production
and consumption technologies in an effort
to promote hydrogen-centric efforts of sustainable
energy production, including the conversion
of biomass sources to energy and the development
of new hydrogen storage technologies
Indoor Environment Center: focused on interdisciplinary
research in the areas of indoor air quality,
aerobiological engineering, acoustics, and
illumination in a sustainable context
Microsystems Design Laboratory: focused on
the development of special-purpose computers,
design automation tools, leakage power management,
intelligent computer architectures, ultra-low
power computing, data center computing, and
hardware security
Radiation Science and Engineering Center:
established to manage the university's nuclear
research facilities, and to provide safe nuclear
analytical and testing facilities to the university,
government agencies, and corporations
Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence:
one of three Vertical Lift Research Centers
of Excellence in the United States, the VLRCOE
engages in projects related the advancement
of rotary-wing aircraft, including dynamics,
aerodynamics, aeromechanics, acoustics, flight
control, icing, HUMS, smart structures, advanced
materials, active noise and vibration control,
drivetrain technologies, and advanced aircraft
design
Wireless Communications and Networking Laboratory:
dedicated to research in wireless communication
technology, wireless networking, and information
theory to develop secure, high-capacity, high-reliability
wireless communication technology
== 
Student Organizations ==
The College of Engineering hosts over fifty
student-run organizations that encompass both
national honors societies as well as specialized
student-interest projects and competitions.
These organizations encourage professional
development, networking, recognition for outstanding
academic achievement, and the opportunity
to apply theoretical instruction to practical
problems. Several organizations also feature
periodic speaker meetings, which introduce
students to current developments and trends
in their field of study. These organizations
include:
Alpha Nu Sigma Nuclear Science and Engineering
Honor Society: the national honor society
for nuclear engineering, a competitive academic
honor society established to recognize the
top 25% of juniors and top 1/3 of seniors
in their peer group.
Alpha Pi Mu: A competitive academic honor
society for industrial and systems engineering.
Eligibility is limited to the top fifth of
juniors (with a minimum GPA requirement of
3.20) and the top third of seniors (with a
minimum GPA requirement of 3.00). Graduate
students are eligible by recommendation from
a department head.
American Foundry Society (AFS): A professional
society that aims to promote sustainability,
industry stewardship, workforce development,
development of castings, technical innovation,
and education..
AHS International: Formerly the American Helicopter
Society, AHS is the world's only nonprofit
technical society for scientists, engineers,
researchers, and industry professionals involved
in the development of vertical flight. AHS
also hosts an annual design competition open
to undergraduate and graduate students from
around the world, with a particular emphasis
on non-traditional vertical flight applications.
AIAA: The world's foremost professional society
for the field of aerospace engineering. AIAA
also hosts an annual aircraft design competition
open to undergraduate and graduate students
worldwide.
American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE):
A professional organization established to
distinguish chemical engineering as a profession
separate from chemists and mechanical engineers.
The Penn State chapter of AIChE supports professional
networking, research, and outreach among its
student members.
American Nuclear Society: A nonprofit professional
development organization dedicated to advancing
the state of the art in nuclear engineering,
and an international leader in the development
of nuclear consensus standards.
American Society for Quality
American Society of Agricultural and Biological
Engineers (ASABE): An international technical
and educational society of agricultural and
biological engineering, ASABE has spent over
a century focusing on developing sustainable
solutions to meet the demands of an ever-growing
population. The Penn State ASABE chapter focuses
on agricultural education, environmental cleanup,
and social events for its student members
and the surrounding community, as well as
professional networking.
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE):
An international nonprofit professional society
dedicated to advancing the state of the art
of civil engineering. The Penn State chapter
of ASCE also focuses on hands-on projects
for its student members, including Concrete
Canoe and Bridges to Prosperity.
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating,
and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE): An
international professional organization dedicated
to the advancement of heating, ventilation,
air conditioning, and refrigeration technologies
and installations since 1894. In addition
to professional conferences, ASHRAE also offers
several certifications in the design, modeling,
commissioning, and energy assessment of facilities.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME):
An international professional organization
promoting multidisciplinary engineering, ASME
is equal parts engineering society, R&D organization,
and a standards organization. The Penn State
chapter of ASME focuses on professional networking,
leadership development, hands-on projects,
design competitions, community volunteer work,
and social interaction for its members.
American Solar Energy Society (ASES): The
American affiliate of the International Solar
Energy Society and formed to advance the education,
outreach, and policy of sustainable energy.
The Penn State chapter of ASES involves students
in the design and modeling of solar energy
systems, and gives students the opportunity
to participate in several hands-on projects
such as a solar picnic table and a solar tracker.
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM):
The world's largest scientific and educational
computing society, offering both professional
and student awards and development opportunities
in the field of computing. The Penn State
ACM chapter hosts a number of events, including
CodePSU, an outreach event intended to develop
computer programming skills among university
members in a challenging and competitive environment.
Association of Women in Computing at Penn
State (AWC): A professional organization for
women in computing, and a member of the Institute
for the Certification of Computing Professionals,
dedicated to the advancement of women in computing
and the encouragement of women to pursue computing-relating
careers. The Penn State chapter of AWC focuses
on mentoring and tutoring, social events,
hosting Girls Who Code-related events, and
attendance of the Grace Hopper conference.
Audio Engineering Society (AES): The only
worldwide professional and standards organization
dedicated exclusively to audio technology,
AES is composed of engineers, scientists,
and other audio professionals, including acousticians,
audiologists, and academic researchers. The
Penn State chapter of AES focuses on education,
tutoring, speaker meetings, and equipment
demonstration amongst its student members.
Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES): A professional
society for students, researchers, and industry
professionals within the field of biomedical
engineering. The Penn State chapter of BMES
focuses on professional and social networking,
as well as academic development opportunities
for its student members.
Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society:
The national honor society for civil engineering,
currently consisting of over 100,000 members
nationwide.
Design Build Institute of America (DBIA):
A professional organization dedicated to the
teaching and promotion of best practices in
the design and build process, focusing on
design and construction services.
Engineering Ambassadors: A professional and
outreach organization focusing on inspiring
middle and high school students toward a career
in engineering.
Engineering and Applied Sciences Interest
House (EASI): The EASI (pronounced "easy")
is a community-focused networking organization
located in on-campus residence halls focused
on connecting students with similar engineering
and science classes, inspirations, and ideas.
Members are encouraged to form various tutelage
groups and participate in academic and campus
outreach and social events.
Engineering Graduate Student Council (EGSC):
A professional development and networking
organization focused on the promotion and
enhancement of graduate studies within the
Penn State community. EGSC also provides an
open communication forum for students, faculty,
researchers, and administration staff.
Engineering House (E-House): A live-in community
focused on supporting student projects and
activities, and providing students with leadership
and social engagement opportunities.
Engineering Leadership Society (ELS): A community-driven
organization focused on innovation, leadership,
and professional development. ELS encourages
development of socially-relevant technologies
and hands-on competitions, including participation
in the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest.
Engineering Orientation Network (EON): A community
and mentorship organization focusing on acclimating
new students to life at Penn State, and providing
opportunities for networking, social engagement,
and professional development. EON also provides
incoming freshmen with mentors within their
selected major, as well as a pre-term orientation
sessions that include activity fairs, design
competitions, and prizes.
Engineering Undergraduate Council (EUC): An
administrative- and communications-focused
organization that aims to connect student
ideas and concerns with faculty and administrative
staff, and also serves as part of the Academic
Integrity Council.
Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW): The
Penn State chapter of a nonprofit organization
involving students in technical design projects
focusing on sustainability, environmental,
and clean technology issues. Projects are
often enacted within the local community,
although at times they may be international
in scope.
Engineers Without Borders (EWB): One of several
global chapters focused on applying engineering
principles to international development work,
specifically with serving the needs of disadvantaged
communities and peoples worldwide.
Eta Kappa Nu Electrical Engineering Honor
Society: The international honor society for
electrical and computer engineering, now an
organizational unit of IEEE. The Penn State
chapter of Eta Kappa Nu consists of the top
33% of seniors and top 25% of juniors within
the majors of electrical engineering, computer
engineering, and computer science.
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES):
An interdisciplinary professional organization
focused on promoting a knowledge exchange
of human characteristics that are relevant
to system and device design.
Illuminating Engineering Society (IES): Part
of the department of Architectural Engineering,
the Penn State chapter of IES is an interdisciplinary
professional organization dedicated to promoting
the art and science of lighting.
Industrial Engineering Graduate Student Association
(IEGA): An academic and social group focused
on providing academic mentorship and a social
platform for students to interact with peers
and faculty.
Institute for Operations Research and the
Management Sciences (INFORMS): An international
professional society focused on operations
research, management science, and data analytics.
The Penn State chapter of INFORMS aims to
provide applications of operations research
and management science to fields such as transportation,
banking, manufacturing, insurance, healthcare,
and supply chain management.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE): The largest professional organization
for electrical, computer, electronics, radio,
and associated engineering disciplines, with
a focus on the educational and technical development
of electrical and electronics engineering.
The Penn State chapter of IEEE hosts career
fairs, speaker events, professional networking
events, hands-on workshops, and social and
community events throughout the year.
Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers
(IISE): Formerly the Institute of Industrial
Engineers, IISE is a professional society
dedicated to supporting the industrial engineering
profession, with a particular focus on quality
and productivity improvements. The Penn State
chapter of IISE provides leadership development,
as well as professional networking and academic
and social events.
Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE):
An international educational and scientific
society of transportation professionals, with
a focus on the application of technical and
scientific efforts to meet the mobility and
safety needs of the ground transportation
industry. The Penn State chapter of ITE focuses
on the promotion and advancement of transportation
and traffic engineering, professional networking,
partnership with consulting firms on traffic
and mobility research projects, and social
engagement.
International Association for the Exchange
of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE):
An international organization connecting students
with opportunities to perform technical work
abroad in one of over 80 countries, with sessions
lasting from four weeks to eighteen months.
IASTE aims to provide students with both technical
experience and cultural education. The Penn
State chapter of IASTE seeks to provide student
members with internships, hands-on technical
experience, and a deepening of its members'
cultural understanding.
Lunar Lion: A privately funded organization
seeking to design, develop, launch, and deploy
a spacecraft onto the lunar surface.
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB):
One of the largest trade societies in the
country, consisting primarily of home builders
and remodelers, as well as mortgage and building
products and services professionals.
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE):
A national networking organization focused
on the recruitment and retention of black
and minority engineers in academia and industry.
The Penn State chapter of NSBE focuses on
professional networking, leadership development,
social engagement.
North American Society for Trenchless Technology
(NASTT): A multidisciplinary professional
society focused on reducing the environmental
and social cost of trenching, including the
development of standards, educational programs,
training, and research and development.
Omega Chi Epsilon Chemical Engineering Honor
Society: An academic society recognizing excellence
in the field of chemical engineering, open
to juniors and seniors with a GPA of at least
3.5. The Penn State chapter of Omega Chi Epsilon
focuses on providing quality developmental
opportunities for the professional development
of its members, including mentoring, tutoring,
community outreach programs, and professional
networking.
Penn State Advanced Vehicle Team: A hands-on
project team that competes in the Advanced
Vehicle Technology competitions hosted by
the United States Department of Energy. Teams
re-engineer donor vehicles with hybrid-electric
and other cutting-edge technologies to gain
improvements in fuel efficiency and emissions.
Penn State Formula SAE – Penn State Racing:
A hands-on project team that participates
in the annual Formula SAE competition, which
requires the design, fabrication, and testing
of a formula-style race car in several events,
including acceleration, autocross, and endurance.
Penn State Robotics Club: A multidisciplinary
club dedicated to the design, building, testing,
and deploying of robotics for a variety of
applications.
Penn State Surveying Society: An organization
dedicated to providing instruction in the
discipline of surveying to student members.
Activities within the organization also include
fundraising, community outreach, campus service
projects, professional development, and social
engagement.
Phi Sigma Rho: The national sorority for women
in engineering and engineering technology,
focused on engaging female engineering students
within the Greek community while excelling
in their academic progress. The Penn State
chapter of Phi Sigma Rho aims to develop high
standards of personal integrity and respect,
and promotes academic support and social engagement
amongst its members.
Pi Tau Sigma Mechanical Engineering Honor
Society: An academic honor society open to
both undergraduate and graduate students,
based on academic achievement as well as engineering
ability, personality, scholarship, and likelihood
of future success. For undergraduates, eligibility
is limited to the top 25% of the student's
class for juniors and the top 35% of the student's
class for seniors.
Society of Engineering Science (SES): A national
professional organization aiming to promote
the exchange of information pertinent to the
field of engineering science. The Penn State
chapter of SES is focused primarily on the
needs of Engineering Science majors, but open
to all engineering majors.
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
(SHPE): A professional, technical, and networking
group created to serve as role models for
the Hispanic community. SHPE chapters are
also actively involved in raising awareness
of the need for STEM graduates and professionals
in order to enable the U.S. to maintain a
strong economic and technical advantage in
the global marketplace. The Penn State chapter
of SHPE focuses on leadership and professional
development, community outreach, and social
engagement for its members.
Society of Women Engineers (SWE): A nonprofit
service, educational, and professional organization
focused on the development of women in the
engineering and engineering technology fields.
Partnership for Achieving Construction Excellence
(PACE): An educational and professional organization
focused on improving partnerships between
the university and the construction industry
through innovation and technological development.
Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society: The
oldest engineering honor society in the United
States, honoring students with a demonstrated
history of academic achievement, personal
development, and professional integrity. The
Penn State chapter of TBP is by invitation-only,
and is open to undergraduate students in the
top eighth of their class, or seniors within
the top fifth of their class. The semester-long
candidacy process also requires successful
completion of interviews and participation
in several chapter activities and community
work.
Theme Park Engineering Group (TPEG): A professional
development organization providing opportunities
to collaborate with working professionals
of the theme park industry. TPEG also provides
opportunities for real-world experience on
design projects, as well as networking and
social engagement with other students, faculty,
and industry professionals.
Triangle Fraternity: A national social fraternity,
with membership limited to students majoring
in engineering, architecture, mathematics,
and the physical, biological, and computer
sciences. The Penn State chapter of Triangle
focuses on academic and professional development,
as well as leadership development, community
service, and social and professional networking.
Undergraduate Research Society (URS): A STEM-focused
organization open to undergraduate students
of all majors, focused on helping interested
students find research opportunities via professional
networking, peer mentoring, faculty networking,
and career development activities.
Unmanned Aerial Systems Club: An interdisciplinary
organization focused on the design, build,
and study of unmanned aerial systems as a
method of helping each student attain their
educational, personal, and professional goals.
The club also participates in various competitive
events hosted by AUVSI, specifically the Small
Unmanned Aerial Systems Competition, which
requires the design, fabrication, integration,
and demonstration of an unmanned aircraft
capable of autonomous flight and navigation.
== Notable Alumni ==
The College of Engineering has over 100,000
living engineering alumni. The Penn State
Engineering Alumni Society (PSEAS) is the
oldest active alumni group at The Pennsylvania
State University. Notable alumni include:
Benson L. Dutton (1933, Civil Engineering),
the first African-American to graduate from
Penn State's College of Engineering.William
E. Deifenderfer (1938, Mechanical Engineering),
Senior Vice President of United Technologies.Stephen
Lawroski (1939 M.S., 1943 Ph.D., Chemical
Engineering), former chemical engineer on
the Manhattan Project and participant of the
Atoms for Peace program. Appointed to the
general advisory committee of Atomic Energy
Commission by President Lyndon B. Johnson
in 1964, also serving on the Advisory Committee
on Reactor Safeguards before retiring as Associate
Director of Argonne National Laboratory.Benjamin
Paul Blasingame (1940), manager of Delco Electronics
and Air Force Colonel who worked on engineering
and research teams at The Pentagon advocating
for the development of the turbofan jet engine,
and served as Chief Guidance Officer in the
Air Force missile development program. His
career included the development of booster-rocket
guidance systems, gyro-stabilized firing systems,
and inertial navigation systems for commercial
airliners and military transports, and has
received a Department of Defense Medal for
Distinguished Public Service, a NASA Exceptional
Public Service Medal, the Legion of Merit,
a Presidential Commendation Medal, and is
a member of the National Aviation Hall of
Fame.David E. Pergrin (1940, Civil Engineering),
commanding officer of the 291st Engineer Combat
Battalion who served in the Battle of the
Bulge and the Battle of Remagen during World
War II.Jacob M. Geist (1942 M.S., Chemical
Engineering), a major contributor to cryogenics
process safety for liquefied natural gas.Karl
H. Norris (1942, Agricultural Engineering),
whose work contributed to the discovery of
phytochrome.Max S. Peters (1942 B.S., 1947
M.S., 1949 Ph.D., Chemical Engineering), National
Academy of Engineering inductee and leading
air pollution researcher whose studies led
to the development of the catalytic converter.Donald
R. F. Harleman (1943, Civil Engineering),
internationally recognized expert in water
quality and waste treatment who led harbor
cleanup efforts in numerous countries worldwide.Lee
Strohl Gaumer, Jr. (1948, Chemical Engineering),
former Technical Director of Air Products
and responsible for the liquefaction of hydrogen
for the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.
Gaumer also worked on the Manhattan Project
and at the White Sands Missile Range while
serving in the Army. Gaumer also received
numerous awards during his career, including
the Distinguished Engineers Award (National
Society of Professional Engineers) and the
Apollo Achievement Award (NASA), and served
as a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical
Engineers and a Member of the National Academy
of Engineering.Harry Lawroski (1950 B.S.,
1956 M.S., 1959 Ph.D., Chemical Engineering),
former president of the American Nuclear Society.Russel
H. Herman, Jr. (1951, Chemical Engineering),
former president and CEO of Esso Eastern,
an Exxon company, and former Executive Vice
President of Esso Europe.
John H. Sinfelt (1951 B.S., 1953 M.S., 1954
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering), whose research
on catalytic reforming led to the development
of unleaded gasoline.William L. Weiss (1951,
Industrial Engineering), former Chairman and
CEO of Ameritech, one of the Baby Bells formed
after the 1984 AT&T divestiture.Thomas D.
Larson (1952 B.S., 1959 M.S., 1962 Ph.D.,
Civil Engineering), former Pennsylvania Secretary
of Transportation, former Administrator of
the Federal Highway Administration, and Director
of the Pennsylvania Transportation and Safety
Center.John C. Villforth (1952 B.S., 1954
M.S., Sanitary Engineering), Chief Engineer
of the US Public Health Service Commissioned
Corps.Lincoln A. Warrell (1953, Chemical Engineering),
owner of several confectionary companies and
inductee of the Candy Hall of Fame.Paul J.
Weitz, Jr. (1954, Aerospace Engineering),
naval test pilot, NASA astronaut, and Commander
of STS-6, the maiden flight of the Space Shuttle
Challenger.Frank Gabron (1955 M.S., Mechanical
Engineering), senior combustion research engineer
at United Technologies Corporation and responsible
for initial development of the combustion
technology used in the RL-10 rocket engine.
Gabron also earned a NASA Achievement Award
for his work on the development of equipment
used during the Apollo 11 space flights.Albertus
D. Welliver (1956, Mechanical Engineering),
former Vice President of Boeing and manager
of the Boeing 777 airliner.James E. Marley
(1957, Aerospace Engineering), former CEO
of AMP Industrial prior to its acquisition
by Tyco International, now TE Connectivity.Ted
T. Szabo (1958 Ph.D., Chemical Engineering),
Auschwitz survivor and Division President
of Union Carbide Corporation.John J. Yeosock
(1959, Industrial Engineering), Lieutenant
General of the United States Army and commander
of the 3rd U.S. Army during Operation Desert
Shield and Operation Desert Storm.Gerard M.
Faeth (1961 M.S., 1964 Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering),
principal investigator for numerous combustion
experiments on Space Shuttle missions, author
of over 230 journal papers and 200 conference
papers, and presenter of over 200 invited
lectures.Guion Bluford (1964, Aerospace Engineering),
USAF Colonel, former NASA astronaut, and the
first African American in space.Harold W.
Gehman, Jr. (1965, Industrial Engineering)
served as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Joint
Forces Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander,
Atlantic until he retired in 2000. In 2003
he was appointed to head the investigation
of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.Thomas
A. Bathgate (1970, Architectural Engineering),
President and CEO of PWI Engineering and leader
in sustainable engineering and energy conservation
efforts for building complexes since 1973.Gregory
Lucier (1986, Industrial Engineering), president
and CEO of Invitrogen.Mark Alpert (1980, Environmental
Engineering), president of Integrated Delivery
Solutions.Former faculty include Amos E. Neyhart,
a traffic safety education pioneer and creator
of the first driver education classes in the
United States in 1933. Inyong Ham, a Penn
State professor (1958–95) and an IIE Fellow,
was known for his development of group technology
and research on the use of computers in manufacturing
and process planning.
== Firsts ==
First accredited in 1936, Architectural Engineering
program at Penn State is nation's oldest continuously
accredited curriculum in this field.
In 1923, professor Paul Schweitzer started
one of the first systematic research programs
in diesel engineering in United States.
In 1909, the first Industrial Engineering
academic department and baccalaureate program
in the nation were established at Penn State.
In 1960, Penn State established the first
national curriculum in solid-state technology
and in 1962 created the interdisciplinary
materials research laboratory.
In 1965, Penn State Aerospace engineer Barnes
W. McCormick led a research team that made
the first wake turbulence measurements behind
a full-scale airplane
