Technology with Impact
I am pleased to introduce myself as the new dean of engineering. I am also pleased to introduce our new online digest, Innovations, and new website at www.coe.berkeley.edu.
I graduated from UC Berkeley in 1981 and in my 30 years here I’ve seen the College evolve into an institution of impact. Since becoming Dean in July, I have given considerable thought to how we can continue this evolution.
While deeply rooted in academic tradition, Berkeley’s greatest hallmark is that it defies the confines of academia to fully engage in every corner of the world to create novel technologies and new industries, drive economic growth and stimulate social change. The College’s role as a major sparkplug in Silicon Valley and the information technology revolution is just one example of this tradition.
Berkeley’s approach is to not only educate engineers as superb technologists but also instill in them an urgent sense of how technologies can make a difference in the real world.
My vision for the College will enhance this understanding by moving our curriculum beyond science and technology, beyond engineering industries, to include the disciplines of medicine, law, business, public policy, economics, social sciences, public and global health and the service industry.
The problems we seek to address are social in nature and global in scope. Creating the solutions—new power sources like sustainable energies and biofuels to preserve our environment, new methods for improving health care delivery like low-cost cures for emerging infectious diseases—will not be enough. We must push beyond the technology to forge new collaborations that will help us open eyes, change behaviors and make a difference in the critical issues that affect us all.
S. Shankar Sastry
Dean, College of Engineering
NEC Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
Roy W. Carlson Professor of Engineering
Email Dean Sastry
Upcoming Events
Nov. 9 (live webcast) View from the Top: Kirk Hachigian, CEO Cooper Industry will share with students his secrets for being successful in industry. See the webcast of this event.
November 27 & 28 Air…Water: What is Our Future? Engineering faculty members Bill Nazaroff and David Sedlak will discuss state environmental science and policy perspectives relating to energy and water issues. The speakers will appear in both Santa Monica and San Diego.