Dear WSE community, 

We are committed to creating a community where every member can use their talents and hard work to achieve their goals—however ambitious they may be.

Our school is not our programs or the buildings in which we offer them; rather, it is the people who support each other’s aspirations and our mission. Our goal is to inspire ourselves and others to think deeply and challenge our beliefs, and this can only happen in an environment where every member of our community knows they are valued and their voices are heard.

We recently surveyed faculty, students, and staff members to better understand their perceptions of our success in creating such an inclusive environment and to provide us with information to guide our ongoing efforts. While the overall results suggest that the members of our community feel satisfied and supported by the school, the results also highlight areas where we need to improve to enhance the experiences of all.

We also are making great strides in achieving the vision we defined two years ago to achieve preeminence in the areas of artificial intelligence, data science, bioengineering, and energy and the environment and are actively expanding the size of our faculty and building infrastructure in these key areas. Our goal is not simply to grow bigger, but to grow in a way that increases our impact on the world and our leadership in engineering research and education.

To achieve this, we think carefully about how we operate and make adjustments as needed. As a result of the Second Commission on Undergraduate Education’s findings, we are implementing changes in our approach to undergraduate education. To better meet the needs of our community, we have established a Whiting School Staff Council, Office of Human Resources, and Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and are exploring a new shared governance structure.

As the school continues to evolve and grow, I am confident that we will continue to build structures and policies that will allow us to adapt to changing times and needs and ensure our success. I look forward to sharing our progress with you.

Best wishes,

Ed Schlesinger
Benjamin T. Rome Dean