Legacy of impact drives future growth

Dean Andrea Goldsmith

Dean Andrea Goldsmith

In the 50 years since the first Earth Day in 1970, Princeton University’s extraordinary community of scholars, alumni, and global collaborators have investigated our planet’s systems and invented solutions that allow us to thrive more sustainably within those systems. This combination of fundamental research and practical innovation around issues of great importance for humanity is one of the qualities that attracted me to Princeton to become dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Since I started here September 1, I am all the more impressed and energized by this community and its potential to address significant challenges to benefit humanity through engineering and technology.

This issue of EQuad News looks briefly at two important slices – water and energy – of Princeton’s work in environmental sustainability, both of which include strong leadership from across the engineering school. Princeton is now planning major investments in environmental teaching and research, including an entire new campus neighborhood that will further enhance the cross-disciplinary interplay of science and engineering that is so critical to reaching truly effective solutions for our future. This vision for collaboration and impact also is driving our growth in bioengineering, data science, robotics, and urban systems.

Across all these areas of engineering, I intend to amplify our impact by growing entrepreneurship and our engagement with industry and by increasing diversity and inclusion so that we are maximizing the talent and breadth of perspectives we bring to bear on urgent issues.

I am eager to hear from you and discuss these exciting areas of research and innovation in more detail. Please follow and engage with us on social media (TwitterInstagramLinkedIn) or email me.

Andrea Goldsmith
Dean
Arthur LeGrand Doty Professor of Electrical Engineering

Note: In addition to this magazine, please see our ongoing coverage of Princeton Engineering’s research and impact in energy and the environment

In this issue

  • World map, nighttime, showing lights on to demonstrate energy use

    Tough, timely and team-driven: 50 years of energy research

  • Aerial image of river delta

    Water, drought and flooding: A half-century at the environmental forefront