Engineering excellence for the public good
Strategic Plan 2022-2027
Creating a healthier and more just world through our work
We are committed to making the world a better place by producing the highest-quality graduates and research and engaging our community. We will augment our relationship with the health sciences to accelerate health-care solutions. We will distinguish ourselves from other engineering schools by focusing on high-impact interdisciplinary research and incentivizing collaborations that serve the public good.
Accomplishments to date
Artificial intelligence and machine learning curriculum development
The rapid advancement and widespread adoption of AI tools has reshaped our approach to nearly everything, pushing us to adapt more quickly and integrate these advancements into our educational offerings.
One of our most significant achievements has been the focused development of our curriculum, particularly in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Our faculty and staff are integrating AI and ML content into undergraduate courses across all 10 engineering units, ensuring that our undergraduates are equally well-prepared for the challenges of the future. For graduate students and professionals, we created four AI certificate programs and a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Engineering.
Developed professional programs to address a rapidly changing field
Expanding workforce development offerings through the new Office of New Programs & Innovation, led by Director, Cassady Glass Hastings, has been another major accomplishment. By defining our portfolio of professional programs, fostering a culture of academic innovation, and introducing stackable programs, we are better positioned to meet industry education needs. These efforts have expanded the professional programs by 70% in the last years and reinforced our commitment to workforce development, which is critical in today's fast-evolving engineering landscape.
Our faculty and staff have developed 12 new stackable graduate certificate and degree programs in just one year — a remarkable feat that demonstrates our commitment to serving our learning audiences where they are. These new professional programs are designed with flexibility in mind, offering stackable master’s degree options that respond to the evolving needs of engineers. This approach marks a significant departure from traditional higher education models, focusing less on established norms and more on equipping engineers with the tools, training and knowledge they require to thrive in a rapidly changing field.
Secured significant federal investment for our research infrastructure
Federal resources, such as those for the Advanced Composites Center, the Washington Nanofabrication Facility (WNF), and the Kirsten Wind Tunnel, have been critical in augmenting our work, and we continue to explore state resources to further support these initiatives.
Launched the Institute for Medical Data Science
In partnership with the UW School of Medicine and School of Public Health, the Institute for Medical Data Science was launched in 2023. The Institute was developed to implement artificial intelligence and machine learning into healthcare and to study it. The Institute aims to harness medical data to help care teams make clinical decisions faster and easier and even improve clinical outcomes. The Institute has a unique opportunity to study operational models in practice to improve patient health.
Goals and strategies
JUMP TO: Assessing our curriculum Interdisciplinary research Solving health-care issues Incentivize collaboration
STRATEGY 1
Ground our curriculum in technical excellence, a commitment to the public good, and the translation of discoveries into real-world applications
Five-year Goal:
Design and construct engineering curricula that adapts to changing student demographics and societal needs; promotes commitment to the public good in the classroom and experiential learning; and introduces students to:
- Core and advanced engineering competencies and their application
- Interdisciplinary inquiry and problem-solving
- Innovation, entrepreneurship, workforce development and technology translation
- Leadership and collaborative skills
- Technology’s interaction with natural and social environments
- Engineering ethics
- Collaborative initiatives with nonprofit, government and community organizations to address specific local and global challenges
Third year (2024-2025)
- Leverage interdisciplinary AI committee to develop and implement AI curriculum innovation.
- Continue to grow and develop AI offerings.
- Demonstrate curriculum innovation and continuous improvement with ABET accreditation review and creation of new programs.
- Build the infrastructure to expand experiential learning opportunities
- Develop educational showcase space in the IEB
Second year (2023-2024)
- Apply findings from the curriculum assessment to plans for future classes and class content.
- Form Industry Curriculum Advisory Committee (ICAC) to provide feedback and provide engineering professional skill inventory for continuous improvement of engineering education and new program creation. Develop sustainable engagement model for the committee.
- Implement the recommendations of the Innovative Engineering Education subcommittee.
First year (2022-2023)
Curriculum assessment
- Evaluate current classes.
- Inventory existing College course offerings related to public good, health, data sciences, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), innovation and entrepreneurship to identify curricular gaps.
- Obtain feedback, engagement and buy-in from departments.
- Develop metrics (survey first-year students, transfer students and graduating seniors).
- Identify at least two recommendations from the strategic planning Innovative Engineering Education subcommittee report for implementation.
STRATEGY 2
Distinguish the College by focusing on high-impact, large-scale, interdisciplinary research centered on the public good
Five-year Goals:
Develop the administrative infrastructure to support collaborative research efforts in the pursuit of national interdisciplinary research centers.
Deepen and expand affiliations with UW colleges, schools, institutes and centers to strengthen existing partnerships and to identify promising interdisciplinary collaborations.
Establish joint hiring processes with other UW units and national laboratories to recruit research leaders to promote inter- and intra-organizational collaborations.
Third year (2024-2025)
- Enhance structure to ensure College research centers and institutes have the support systems to thrive
- Launch and steward federal appropriation awards including Washington Nanofabrication Facility, Molecular Analysis Facility, Kirsten Wind Tunnel, and the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building
- Plan an additional two to four large collaborative research initiatives including the Drive for the Manufacturing USA NIST program
Second year (2023-2024)
- Develop College PI Toolbox portal for center-level proposal support.
- Partner with existing UW centers such as Molecular Analysis Facility (MAF), Washington Nanofabrication Facility (WNF), Information Technology (UWIT) and Office of Research to submit two federal infrastructure grants to maintain and grow engineering facilities.
- Assemble four teams of researchers to submit large center or institute grants.
First year (2022-2023)
- Introduce best practices for center-level proposal support including pre-award center proposal and post-award center support needs in the College.
- Form a working group focused on one interdisciplinary topic to identify major federal and local research grant opportunities and to expand interdisciplinary research across departments, colleges and with external partners. Develop a five-year vision for the interdisciplinary topic.
- Assemble two teams of researchers to submit large center or institute grants.
- Partner with UW Facilities and OPB’s Office of Capital Planning Strategy to assess infrastructure available to support major research centers and new initiatives prior to grant submissions.
- Establish best practices and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) for review and promotion of faculty who hold joint appointments with national labs and other UW units.
STRATEGY 3
Augment the College’s relationships across the health sciences to accelerate solutions to critical health-care issues
Five-year Goals:
Strategically expand cross-campus and community collaborations to advance and improve health care and health-care equity.
Craft curricular and experiential opportunities for engineering students to explore health care and to collaborate on the next generation of health-care solutions.
Third year (2024-2025)
- Plan and submit a federal proposal for an Engineering Research Center (ERC) focused on health and engineering
- Develop a roadmap and timeline to offer a medical engineering degree
- Expand the Institute for Medical Data Science in partnership with the School of Public Health and UW Medicine
- Expand the partnership with the School of Medicine and College of Arts & Sciences to support the Neuroscience Initiative
Second year (2023-2024)
- Build one partnership in socio-economically underdeveloped and/or remote areas to explore transformative health-care technologies.
- Launch two grants between the College of Engineering and local health care organizations.
- Develop and add one cross-listed engineering health course each year between 2023 and 2026.
- Increase number of engineering students participating in health/medicine-related capstone design and research experiences by 20%.
- Increase health-related industry capstone projects by 30%.
First year (2022-2023)
- Launch the Institute for Medical Data Science (MDS).
- Launch one grant on AI and MDS between the College of Engineering and local health care organizations.
STRATEGY 4
Encourage and incentivize collaborations and partnerships that serve the public good
Five-year Goals:
Deepen connections and partnerships with state and local governments with a focus on bridging the knowledge gap between public policy and engineering technology.
Enhance capacity for equitable collaboration between the College and local and global communities, including building meaningful partnerships with government and community organizations.
Third year (2024-2025)
- Partner with state relations and Washington State Dept of Commerce to pursue quantum postdoctoral funding
- Partner with federal relations to secure FY25 requests
- Deepen student understanding and appreciation of engineering for the public good through increased experience and knowledge of public-good-focused capstones, student clubs, and research
- Develop public-good-oriented priorities for inclusion in the future UW and engineering fundraising campaign
- Deepen partnerships with regional municipalities and communities to advance shared education and research priorities
- Work with central advancement to progress engineering for public good fundraising
Second year (2023-2024)
- Organize public lecture or seminar series focused on the relationship between public policy and technology.
- Identify two research or industry partnerships to form with tribal communities, NGOs or community organizations.
- Launch at least five capstone projects with government and community organizations focused on the public good.
- Launch Public Good Faculty Fellows program with three inaugural fellows.
- Develop a sustainable model to fund the Sabbatical Faculty Fellowships.
- Launch Engineering Excellence for Public Good annual student event.
First year (2022-2023)
- Develop a model to support at least 10 student teams engaged in capstone projects focused on the public good, such as projects in partnership with governments, community organizations or tribal communities.
- Design an Engineering Excellence for Public Good annual student event.
- Launch College awards for faculty working in public good.
- Develop sustainable model for Public Good Faculty Fellows program.