Admissions

Why Cornell Engineering?

"Scientists study the world as it is; engineers create the world that never has been."—Theodore von Karman

Cornell engineers challenge the status quo and do great things. Steeped in an environment of questioning, and with a focus on innovation, Cornell Engineering pursues excellence in all areas. Its faculty, students, and alumni design, build, and test products, improve the world of medicine, inform and shape our laws, create and drive businesses, become research luminaries, and overcome real and perceived barriers to achieve scientific breakthroughs that advance the quality of life on our planet.

We invite you to learn more about Cornell Engineering and its programs.

What type of applicant are you?

Did you know?

In 2013, late Prof. Ephrahim Garcia , and his graduate student Michael W. Shafer (Mechanical Engineering, M.S., 2012; Ph.D., 2013) invented a “bird backpack” weighing less than 12 grams. The devices are self-powered and provide a way to collect data from migrating birds without having to recharge batteries or weigh the bird down.

Professor Thomas O’Rourke (B.S. 1970), a specialist in the field of monitoring large construction projects, headed the team analyzing the impact of 9/11 attacks against New York City. The assessment found that the infrastructure of New York City survived the attack remarkably well, and led to creation of another team to determine the attributes of engineering that led to such resilience.

Prof. Matthew DeLisa and his team created ubiquibodies which mark specific proteins inside a cell for destruction, paving the way for new drug therapies and powerful research tools.

In 2005, Prof. Larry Bonassar (BME)and Prof. Hod Lipson (MAE) developed the first bio-printing of living tissue and printed a meniscus which lived for three months in incubation. This launched the field of bio-printing.

S.C. Thomas Sze was one of the first Chinese students to graduate from Cornell in 1905 with a B.S. in mechanical engineering. He went on to become the driving force behind the building of China’s national railway system around 1909-1910.