University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science

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The University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), established in 1836, is the oldest engineering school in the United States[1] associated with a university. SEAS is one of 10 schools and colleges at the University of Virginia. It is the second-largest school at U.Va. and is home to 1,993 undergraduates and 654 graduate students. 26% of its undergraduates are women, and 24% are minorities. For the Class of 2008, the average SAT score of matriculating students was 1353 out of a possible 1600; 76% graduated in the top ten percent of their high school class. 40% of SEAS students pursue a minor; 10% choose economics as a minor.[2]

Thorton Hall, the current home of the SEAS
Thorton Hall, the current home of the SEAS

In 2005, engineering students placed first in Phase One of a national competition for computer chip design. The team bested teams from 27 other universities. UVA's entry, "An SRAD Image Processor as a Reconfigurable, Temperature-Aware SoC Designed for Low-Power Operation", won a small cash prize for the school. The contest was sponsored by the semiconductor industry to improve the design of integrated computer circuits.[3]

The Aerospace Engineering fourth-year class entered and won the 2005 NASA Vehicle Systems Student Design Competition with their unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Mars flyer design. They received a small cash prize for the Aerospace Engineering Department, as well as the opportunity to present their design at an industry conference held in Columbus, Ohio during the summer of 2005.[4]

Also in the summer of 2005, an undergraduate SEAS student drove 13,000 miles round-trip from Virginia to Alaska in a vegetable oil powered 1976 Mercedes 240D.[5] For the year, the school was awarded $50 million in new research contracts by the United States government.

In November 2006, a new academic building, Wilsdorf Hall, was dedicated. The new structure is for collaborative research in materials science and materials engineering, chemical engineering, and nanotechnology. It also features a snack bar and coffee shop with an associated student lounge.

Contents

[edit] Academics

[edit] Rodman Scholars Program

Founded in the 1980s, the Rodman Scholars Program consists of the top 5-6% of each class of engineering students. There are many benefits for Rodman Scholars, which include living in the honors dorms first year, exclusive versions of common first-year courses, and priority registration. While most are selected automatically by the admissions office, some may apply during their first semester. Rodmans are expected to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA throughout their entire academic career.

Professor Dana Elzey currently chairs the program.

[edit] Departments

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chemical Engineering Department History. http://www.che.virginia.edu/history.html. Retrieved June 28, 2006.
  2. ^ SEAS Facts at a Glance. http://www.seas.virginia.edu/general.php. Retrieved June 28, 2006.
  3. ^ Engineering Graduate Students Win Semiconductor Research Design Challenge. http://www.seas.virginia.edu/enews/enews_nov05/src.html. Retrieved June 28, 2006.
  4. ^ U.Va. Aerospace Students Win First Place in National NASA Competition. http://www.seas.virginia.edu/enews/enews_sep05/aerostudents.html. Retrieved July 12, 2006.
  5. ^ Student’s Vegetable-oil-powered Car Makes it From Virginia to Alaska and Back. http://www.seas.virginia.edu/enews/enews_oct05/scruby.html. Retrieved June 28, 2006.

Coordinates: 38°01′60″N 78°30′36″W / 38.033236, -78.509996