Providing skilled engineers dedicated to problem solving and innovation is the commitment of the URI College of Engineering. In its more than a century of achievements, the College has reached out to provide a quality engineering education to a wide and diverse range of talented students seeking the best in engineering knowledge.

The URI engineering adventure is one that recognizes the need for graduates to be prepared to begin their professional practice immediately upon graduation. With a strong emphasis on professional practice, the College provides educational programs that are intellectually rigorous and broadly conceived to prepare the student for a lifetime in engineering and beyond. The education that our students receive prepares them to confront the most challenging problems facing our world.

Our commitment is not only to educating our students but to the State of Rhode Island and to the world. Therefore, the College actively seeks opportunities to partner with industry and government to serve the public interest and foster economic development. In this issue, you will read about some of the collaborative programs we’ve developed to meet this goal.

URI engineering combines a strong traditional education with a non-traditional approach to innovation and research. Examples can be found in our centers of excellence in sensors, ocean instrumentation, nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, impact dynamics, and transportation engineering.
Our faculty reflects our deep commitment to excellence and scholarship. The engineering faculty combine their vast research and educational experience with their extensive experience in professional practice to create a unique learning environment and professional guidance.

This issue of URI Engineering brings you highlights of the achievements of our faculty, students, alumni, and programs during spring and summer 2004. I hope that you will enjoy reading this publication and encourage you to comment on those topics that interest you.

We have an exciting array of events planned for the fall, including the annual Golf Outing, Career Day, Alumni Day, and the Awards Banquet (to recognize outstanding faculty and staff performances and new inductions into the Engineering Hall of Fame and Founders’ Club). I invite you to join us for the upcoming College events that are listed on the back cover of this issue.