Research Philosophy + Mission

The School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania is a world-class research institution that deeply embraces the research goals of the University. In the spirit of our founder, Benjamin Franklin, the research mission of Penn Engineering is not only to have the highest scholarly standards within disciplines, but also to be an international leader in interdisciplinary research across fields.

This challenging mission is achieved by our stellar, highly honored faculty, bringing their disciplinary excellence to collaborative research teams across departments and schools, resulting in cutting-edge research centers and institutes.

In addition to innovative interdisciplinary research, we care deeply about the broader impact of our research. Our research enterprise constantly evolves in order to focus on initiatives that will not only advance science and engineering, but will also dramatically impact society as a whole.

Penn Engineering is now pushing the boundaries in the areas of Nanotechnology, Information Systems and Biological Engineering. The impact of our research is measured by enjoying one of the highest scholarly productivity indexes, numerous faculty and student awards, the placing of our students in the highest positions in academia, industry, and government, and the dramatic growth in our collaborations in industry and academia.

As the interdisciplinary research of today defines the educational disciplines of tomorrow, at Penn Engineering we continuously pursue the integration of our research excellence with novel educational programs. Our programs challenge traditional departmental boundaries, expose students to modern and future scientific and technological challenges, and offer exciting research opportunities at all levels, including undergraduate research. This integration between research and education is fundamental in educating the engineering leaders of tomorrow.