About

Transcending Disciplines, Educating Leaders, Transforming Lives

Columbia Engineering, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, is committed to pushing the frontiers of knowledge and translating our discoveries to meet the needs of society. These aspirations have been fundamental since our early origins in 1864 as a school devoted to metallurgy and mining. Over the years, our faculty and students have made remarkable contributions to technological and social progress, and today, we carry on our tradition of innovation as engineering transforms nearly every aspect of life, from the purity of the water we drink, the quality and accessibility of our healthcare, and the sustainability of the natural and built environments, to our ability to connect with others anywhere in the world.

Attracting the greatest minds in engineering and applied science, of diverse backgrounds from across the country and around the world, has always been part of our DNA and a key to our success. Our faculty represents leading experts in their fields who are dedicated to teaching, to pushing research frontiers, and to increasing interdisciplinary collaborations across the School, the University, and with external partners. We offer students a unique educational opportunity providing a foundational education in engineering and applied science in the depth and breadth of a premier Ivy League university centered in New York City – a cultural and financial hub that is fast becoming a world-renowned center for high-tech research and development. We believe that engineering is in a renaissance, and that the time is now for engineering to step forward as a force for the future to create a sustainable, healthy, connected, secure, and creative humanity.

Dean Shih-Fu Chang

As Dean of Columbia Engineering, Shih-Fu Chang leads the education and research mission of the School.

At A Glance

Engineering for Humanity

Our vision—Columbia Engineering for Humanity—sets a bold path for our aspirations to bring an engineering impact to a healthy, sustainable, secure, connected, and creative humanity. It is exemplified by the pioneering work our faculty and students are doing across departments and disciplines, in partnership with sister schools, institutes, government, and industry.

Mission & Vision

The mission of the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science is to expand knowledge and advance technology through research, while educating students to become leaders informed by an engineering foundation.

Supporting the Vision

Columbia Engineering is at the center of an engineering renaissance, evidenced by the strength of our faculty, the quality of our students, our deep collaborations with other schools and disciplines, as well as our powerful community of alumni, parents and friends, and the convergence of resources and opportunities in New York City and around the world.

History

From its beginning as King’s College in 1754, Columbia valued the academic disciplines of science, engineering, and mathematics.

Plan A Visit

Learn about campus tours and information sessions.

Board of Visitors

The Board of Visitors of The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science is a group that was created on March 7, 1955 by the University Trustees to advise and assist the Trustees, the Faculty of Engineering, and the Dean in the development of the School. The Board of Visitors is composed of between 12 to 40 members and meets twice annually in the fall and spring. They serve a vital advisory role to the Dean and provide feedback regarding academic, alumni, and student affairs.

Our Degree Programs

Columbia Engineering offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across nine main departments, as well as opportunities to study with world-class sister schools and research institutes.

Undergraduate Degree Programs Graduate Degree Programs

Departments

Our nine departments, among the nation's oldest and most influential, offer opportunities for interdisciplinary study and research.

Departments

Labs, Centers, & Institutes

Faculty and students are active in the diverse and expansive research programs offered through Columbia’s laboratories, centers, and institutes—these collaborative entities at the School and across the University foster highly interdisciplinary research that makes an impact. Our world-class research spaces include the Columbia Nano Initiative, the Soft Matter Lab, the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Lab, the Data Science Institute, the Center on Artificial Intelligence, the Precision Medicine Initiative, the Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, and the Earth Institute. Please see the links to many of these programs below.

Labs, Institutes & Centers