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Headquarters Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Parent organization University of Pennsylvania Notable alumni Peter Detkin, Walter O'Malley, Michael Replogle Similar University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylv, University of Pennsylv, University of Pennsylv, Frank G Zarb School of | ||
The School of Engineering and Applied Science, also known as SEAS, is one of the four undergraduate schools of the University of Pennsylvania. The School offers programs that emphasize hands-on study of engineering fundamentals (with an offering of approximately 300 courses) while encouraging students to leverage the educational offerings of the broader University. Engineering students can also take advantage of research opportunities through interactions with Penn’s School of Medicine, School of Arts and Sciences and the Wharton School.
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The School of Engineering and Applied Science offers bachelors, masters and PhD degree programs in contemporary fields of engineering study. The nationally ranked bioengineering department offers the School’s most popular undergraduate degree program. The Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology, offered in partnership with the Wharton School, allows students to simultaneously earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. The School of Engineering and Applied Science also offers several masters programs, which include: Executive Master’s in Technology Management, Master of Biotechnology, Master of Computer and Information Technology, Master of Computer and Information Science and a Master of Science in Engineering in Telecommunications and Networking.
SEAS history
The study of engineering at the University of Pennsylvania can be traced back to 1850 when the University trustees adopted a resolution providing for a professorship of "Chemistry as Applied to the Arts". In 1852, the study of engineering was further formalized with the establishment of the School of Mines, Arts and Manufactures. The first Professor of Civil and Mining Engineering was appointed in 1852. The first graduate of the school received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1854. Since that time, the school has grown to six departments. In 1973, the school was renamed as the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
The early growth of the school benefited from the generosity of two Philadelphians: John Henry Towne and Alfred Fitler Moore. Towne, a mechanical engineer and railroad developer, bequeathed the school a gift of $500,000 upon his death in 1875. The main administration building for the school still bears his name. Moore was a successful entrepreneur who made his fortune manufacturing telegraph cable. A 1923 gift from Moore established the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, which is the birthplace of the first electronic general-purpose Turing-complete digital computer, ENIAC, in 1946.
During the latter half of the 20th century the school continued to break new ground. In 1958, Barbara G. Mandell became the first woman to enroll as an undergraduate in the School of Engineering. In 1965, the university acquired two sites that were formerly used as U.S. Army Nike Missile Base (PH 82L and PH 82R) and created the Valley Forge Research Center. In 1976, the Management and Technology Program was created. In 1990, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Biomedical Science and Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Science were first offered, followed by a master's degree in Biotechnology in 1997.
The school continues to expand with the addition of the Melvin and Claire Levine Hall for computer science in 2003, Skirkanich Hall for bioengineering in 2006, and the Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology in 2013.
Academic departments
Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science is organized into six departments:
The school’s Department of Bioengineering, originally named Biomedical Electronic Engineering, consistently garners a top-ten ranking at both the undergraduate and graduate level from U.S. News & World Report.
Founded in 1893, the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is “America’s oldest continuously operating degree-granting program in chemical engineering.”
The Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering is recognized for its research in electroscience, systems science and network systems and telecommunications.
Originally established in 1946 as the School of Metallurgical Engineering, the Materials Science and Engineering Department “includes cutting edge programs in nanoscience and nanotechnology, biomaterials, ceramics, polymers, and metals.”
The Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics draws its roots from the Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, which was established in 1876.
Each department houses one or more degree programs. The Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics departments house only one degree program. Bioengineering houses two programs (both a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree as well as a Bachelor of Applied Science degree).
Electrical and Systems Engineering is home to the following degree programs, which are all Bachelor of Science in Engineering programs:
The Computer and Information Science department is home to:
Research
Penn's School of Engineering and Applied Science is a research institution. SEAS research strives to advance science and engineering and to achieve a positive impact on society. Faculty at Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science have created several centers for advanced study including:
Engineering Alumni Society
The Penn Engineering community enjoys an alumni community who organize a variety of activities throughout the year. Playing a critical role in the alumni network is the Penn Engineering Alumni Society, which is chartered to:
Regular events hosted by the Engineering Alumni Society include:
Career Panels: These panels give students the opportunity to interact with engineering professionals from both traditional and non-traditional career paths. The panels are intended to help students evaluate career options.
Senior Design Competition: The Engineering Alumni Society sponsors this annual event for graduating undergraduate seniors. The event gives students the opportunity to showcase their year-long projects to a group of practicing professional engineers, who represent diverse technology disciplines. In addition to the technical merits of the project, an emphasis is placed on the student's ability to effectively communicate the objective, approach and conclusion of the project. Cash prizes are awarded to the top 3 finishing teams.
Barbecue for Graduate Students: For over 20 years, the Engineering Alumni Society has been sponsoring a barbecue for graduate students in order to give them a break from their research and to give them an opportunity to socialize with other students.
D. Robert Yarnall Award Presentation: A recipient for the Yarnall Award is selected annually by the Engineering Alumni Society.