Parents

Message from the Interim Dean

Donald Goldfarb
Interim dean and
the Alexander and Hermine Avanessians Professor of IEOR

Dear Columbia Engineering Parents,

The beginning of each academic year is always an exciting time at the University, and I am delighted to report that Columbia Engineering is on a roll. Our students are among the most accomplished and competitive in the world. The first-year class saw only 9.4 percent of our applicants offered admission, and they are joining upperclassmen in an intellectual community of scholar-engineers that is truly remarkable in its quality and diversity.

Columbia Engineering is proud to be a school of big ideas and great ambitions. This summer, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the city’s $15 million investment in the Institute for Data Sciences and Engineering, an interdisciplinary initiative spearheaded by Columbia Engineering. This Institute will accelerate the school’s growth, adding thousands of square feet of new space and allowing for 30 additional faculty members in just its first phase. These developments mean our students will have more opportunity than ever before to engage directly in the outstanding research that is the hallmark of a Columbia education, and to interact with an even larger set of world-class teachers and researchers.

We continue to make major investments in our school that will beneficially impact today’s students as well as future generations. If you have an iPad, I invite you to download the “Open House NWC” app to tour our state-of-the-art Northwest Corner Building and glimpse some of the cutting-edge research underway there. I hope you will enjoy using this app—which features virtual tours by researchers who teach and conduct research in the building—to learn more about the campus.

Engineering and the applied sciences play a central role in the life of the University. It’s a great time to be studying at the School, and we’re delighted that your family is a part of it. We look forward to seeing you at events on campus and around the country as we embark on another exciting, rewarding year at Columbia Engineering!

Sincerely yours,

Donald Goldfarb
Interim Dean
Alexander and Hermine Avanessians Professor of IEOR

Information for Parents and Families

Parents are an important part of the Columbia Engineering community. Parents are encouraged to engage with the School, offer support, and stay informed. We welcome you and anticipate that this is only the beginning of a long association with Columbia. 

To learn more about how parents can engage with the School, please contact Jane Lowry, Parents Program Officer, at 212-854-4474 or jl3678@columbia.edu.

If you would like to receive our parents electronic newsletter, please send an e-mail with your name and your student’s name and class year to the same address at jl3678@columbia.edu.

Many additional resources are available at Columbia's Office of Parent and Family Programs.