Message from the Dean: A new identity

« Washington Engineer - May 2005

: Acting Dean Mani Soma

Spring is probably my favorite season. The cherry trees on campus have just finished blooming, the tulips are at their best, foliage is again lush green and the skies have changed from gray to blue.

It’s an upbeat time of hope and renewal, and I find it very appropriate that this particular issue of Washington Engineer is being issued in the spring. The College of Engineering here at the University of Washington is itself experiencing a renewal of sorts, having ventured into new and exciting territory over the past few months.

For one, I’m new – I recently took over the helm of the college as acting dean when our former dean, Denice D. Denton, took a position as chancellor at the University of California Santa Cruz. We were all sad to see Denice go, but the opportunity was excellent and we wish her the best.

The look of this publication is also new – this is the first redesign of Washington Engineer since its launch two years ago.

And, related to that, our overall college image is new. The redesign of this publication is just a part of a college-wide effort to bring our public persona in line with how we really see ourselves. It was a process that took more than a year of hard work, initiated and shepherded nearly to completion by Denice. It included research, focus groups and sessions of self-reflection. The experience has been a journey that has fostered awareness. As a college, we’ve had to think hard about what we do, why we do it and what is important to us. Here’s what we’ve discovered:

We are a community of innovators. UW engineering has a rich history of discoveries, inventions and heroes. Engineering alum Joseph Sutter, for example, is considered the father of the 747. Another alum, Bonnie Dunbar, broke gender barriers as a materials scientist and explorer to become one of the world’s most experienced female astronauts. In this issue, you can read about Wayne Quinton, a 1958 mechanical engineering graduate and UW employee considered the first real bioengineer and credited with designing and building a shunt that makes long-term kidney dialysis possible. His work has saved literally millions of lives. And the list goes on.

We work as a highly interdisciplinary team. Traditional boundaries segregating engineering disciplines are becoming increasingly meaningless in the 21st century, and our people reflect that.

Finally – and this is the most important piece – we’re here for the students. That is foundational and foremost. I think that conclusion came as a surprise to some because the college and the university are so accomplished in research. In terms of federal grants and contacts, the UW occupies the No. 1 spot in the country among public universities. If you include all universities, we’re No. 2 – only Johns Hopkins does more. Our researchers have international reputations as leaders in their fields. I’ve already mentioned our track record for innovation. We do create tools that help solve the world’s problems, and we revel in that, but the best part of it is that we get to take students along for the ride. The primary function of research here is as an educational tool. What we take the most pride in is the fact that we are shaping and inspiring the leading engineers of this century, who will enter the real world ready and excited to make immediate, positive contributions.

So, welcome to the new Washington Engineer, now that you know what’s behind the different look. Please take a moment to browse our general Web site and see the changes there, too. And be sure to stay tuned. Denice Denton left the college on an upward trajectory, and that’s a course we intend to maintain during the search for a new dean. It’s something we’ll be working at every day, one student at a time.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you think we’re doing.