Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is Ivy League!

Read the editorial entitled, "How fast can ivy grow?" at: http://westfaironline.com/25056/how-fast-can-ivy-grow/

President Shirley Ann Jackson Selected as an International Fellow of the British Royal Academy of Engineering

One of only four International Fellows in the 2012 Class

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson has been selected as an International Fellow of the prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering.

Announcing the 2012 Class of Fellows today, Sir John Parker, GBE FREng, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said, “We welcome our new Fellows – the collective expertise and vision of the best engineers is what drives our ambitious agenda and makes so many good things possible.”

According to the Royal Academy, Dr. Jackson was chosen for her “research and leadership experience in industry, education, and government as well as her expertise in high-energy physics.” She is one of only four International Fellows in the 2012 Class.

“Selection as an International Fellow of The Royal Academy of Engineering is only for those at the pinnacle of engineering achievement,” said retired U.S. Court of Appeals Senior Circuit Judge Arthur J. Gajarsa ’62, chairman of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Board of Trustees. “President Jackson has left her mark in engineering and related fields throughout her career, whether at Bell Labs, in the nuclear energy arena, or more recently focusing locally, nationally, and globally to harness scientific discovery and technological innovation to spark the economy and to meet the grand challenges and opportunities of our time. The Rensselaer community benefits from and is extremely proud of President Jackson’s achievements.”

Rensselaer Ranked 4th on “The World's Best Engineering Schools” List by Business Insider

Ranking Based on Surveys of Engineers, Professionals, and Entrepreneurs Working at Technology Companies
Rensselaer  Polytechnic Institute has been named one of the top engineering schools in the world. Industry-focused website Business Insider ranked Rensselaer fourth on its list of “World's Best Engineering Schools.” The rankings were based on surveys of engineers, professionals, and entrepreneurs working at technology companies.

“Rensselaer’s engineering programs are held in very high esteem among the academic and scientific communities. We have long been recognized for the quality of our academic programs, the unique experiences we afford our students, and the ability of our graduates to make significant contributions early in their careers. This latest ranking provides clear evidence of the value placed on our world-class engineering programs by the companies that hire our graduates,” said David Rosowsky, dean of the School of Engineering at Rensselaer. “We are immensely pleased to be recognized by Business Insider as one of the best engineering schools in the world.”

Business Insider asked survey respondents to rate how valuable degrees from different engineering schools are to the future careers of graduates. Rensselaer placed fourth with a score of 4.16 out of 5, behind Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the top-ranked California Institute of Technology. Rounding out the top 10 were: University of California, Berkeley; Carnegie Mellon University; Cornell University; Georgia Tech; Harvard University; and Princeton University.

Survey results show the two most important factors in choosing an engineering school are the skills and knowledge acquired in school (74 percent), and the brand value of the school (19 percent). The survey identified IBM, Cisco Systems, Intel, Microsoft, and Oracle as key employers of Rensselaer graduates.

See complete results of the survey at: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-best-engineering-schools-2012-6

We Have our Winner from the iPad Contest held at the Liquid Lounge at the Connecticut Science Center!

Congratulations to Kristen Brierley, of Vernon, the iPad winner from the contest at the Liquid Lounge event held on June 8 at the Connecticut Science Center! In the Rensselaer contest to guess the number of Smarties rolls in a container on display, Kristen guessed the exact number of 674. This was the first time she had attended the Liquid Lounge, as she and a co-worker decided to go after work that Friday and walked over the bridge from their office in East Hartford. Kristen works at the Robert M. Cheverie & Associates PC law firm and is attending law school at the Western New England University School of Law. Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Rensselaer table. We'll see you at the next Liquid Lounge on September 14, 2012!

Essay by President Jackson featured in American Scientist Magazine

An essay by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson is included in The American Scientist Magazine’s 100th anniversary feature titled: “100 Reasons to Become a Scientist or Engineer.” (They added 25 new essays to the scientists featured in the 75th edition.) To read Dr. Jackson’s essay, visit: http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/feature/2012/4/100-reasons-to-become-a-scientist-or-engineer/20

Prabhat Hajela Named Provost of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Dr. Prabhat Hajela, an experienced academic and administrative leader, has been appointed provost of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, effective July 1, 2012, it has been announced by Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson. A professor of aerospace engineering and vice provost at Rensselaer, Hajela has served as acting provost since Jan. 1, 2012. Read more at: http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=3047

Graduates Urged To Seize Modern Day “Sputnik Challenge” and “Take Chances” at RPI's 206th Commencement

Congratulations to all the graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's 206th Commencement! You have joined a network of over 90,000 alumni worldwide! Read a recap about Commencement at: http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=3046 or watch the archived webcast of the Commencement ceremony at: http://mediasite.itops.rpi.edu/Mediasite5/Viewer/?peid=21a6aaff9c8b45678167737adcedc4f41d