“Engineering + X” is essential to fulfill the potential of engineering in shaping the conditions of human existence and in propelling Purdue Engineering to the pinnacle of excellence at scale.
One dimension of “Engineering + X” is the collaboration with partners outside of academia: corporations, startups, government entities and foundations. From research and online learning to recruiting and commercialization, our work with hundreds of these partners globally is stronger than ever.
“X” could also mean intellectual disciplines. Engineering is unique in its interactions with discoveries of nature and queries about societies. Engineering, as disciplines of creating artifacts and systems and as a way of thinking about problem-solving, benefit from the morphing of these boundaries. Moreover, it is often through the dense connections between Engineering and Xs that we are able to address the challenges of hunger and disease and to sustain the future of the environment, economic growth, safety and liberty.
Purdue Engineering aspires to the pinnacle of collaborative excellence, and, indeed, excellence through collaboration. In this issue of Engineering Impact, we are grateful for an opportunity to showcase some of the myriad collaborations with colleges and schools at Purdue and Indiana University.
To quote just three examples among the dozens you will find:
- The No. 1 ranked School of Agricultural and Biological Engineering is a testament to the long-standing joint effort between Ag and Engineering at Purdue.
- The largest facility under planning for Purdue’s main campus is between the Polytechnic Institute and Engineering.
- And the most strategic interdisciplinary partnership the College recently announced is between IU School of Medicine and Purdue Engineering.
Our appreciation for the leaders, colleagues and friends at these colleges is as strong as the intensity of our collaboration. We know that the most effective joint ventures are built on personal trust among faculty members and the intellectual bridges provided by joint graduate advisees and undergraduate projects.
Together we will make Purdue Engineering the most collaboration-friendly engineering college anywhere.
Mung Chiang, the John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering and the Roscoe H. George Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University
