News Release

Grit and Resolve

San Diego, Calif., May 5, 2020 -- I never thought we would face so much headwind as a school. Despite the challenges, we are maintaining the forward momentum that we have spent more than six years building together. The health and safety of our students, staff and faculty is my number one priority. This is the foundation of our momentum.

I am profoundly grateful for the grit and resolve of everyone inside and outside the Jacobs School of Engineering who is empowering us to pivot, adapt, and at times, thrive. There has never been a more important time to strengthen engineering and computer science education and research for the public good.

Going for 25+ faculty hires this year

We have hired 18 world-class faculty to the Jacobs School so far this year, and we’ll have more new professors to announce shortly. This is already the most diverse group of faculty we’ve hired into the Jacobs School in a single year. Thank you to everyone who is working so hard on these recruitments.

Franklin Antonio Hall

Great news! Bioengineering professor emeritus Shu Chien, his wife KC Chien M.D., and Peter Farrell, founder of ResMed, have joined forces to strengthen connections between engineering and medicine at the Jacobs School. We will name a research collaboratory in our new building, Franklin Antonio Hall, in their honor. Thank you Shu, KC, and Peter for your incredible generosity and leadership. Your gifts come at an exciting time for the building project: the foundation is being poured and construction continues on schedule. Join me in watching progress via our construction cam.   

COVID-19 research response

So many labs have stepped up. Student, faculty and staff expertise and creativity is pouring into COVID-19 projects. Thank you. Many of these projects at the Jacobs School are already in various stages of efficacy testing, FDA approval, license negotiation and manufacture. There are also bold new projects I'm following closely, and I will update you as soon as I’m able.

Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning curriculum

As we physically distance, the creativity that our faculty, students and staff are putting into remote and asynchronous lecture and lab courses is breathtaking. At the same time, we continue to revitalize our educational offerings. In the 2020-21 academic year, we will have Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning courses in all of our engineering majors, through the new AI Tools for Engineering Practice curriculum.

An open line of communication

Advice, collaboration and support from all our constituents is more important than ever. In this time of COVID-19, I have tripled my efforts to connect with constituents; work connections; empower educators and students; engage staff; and accelerate research. You have an open line of communication to me: DeanPisano@eng.ucsd.edu

Take care and stay safe. We are all in this together. 

~Albert P. Pisano, Dean

UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering

Media Contacts

Daniel Kane
Jacobs School of Engineering
858-534-3262
dbkane@ucsd.edu