Engineering Program
As part of our ongoing commitment to interdisciplinary excellence, Brandeis is launching a new interdepartmental program in Engineering Science, which will foster research, education, collaboration and innovation at the interface of engineering, the sciences and the liberal arts.
Brandeis already possesses the core elements to become a leader in engineering research and education, as evidenced by the success of our basic science programs, our NSF-funded Materials Science Research and Engineering Center, and the MakerLab. Our new program will grow these strengths by embedding engineers across our existing departments, seeding and nurturing enduring collaborations with and between Brandeis faculty and students in the sciences, humanities, social sciences, creative arts, business, and social policy.
The School of Arts and Sciences is currently developing a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Science, to be offered by academic year 2026-27. The curriculum is designed for ABET accreditation, and will provide students with the essential skills to think like engineers, and design solutions to complex problems. We will draw inspiration from areas of engineering that align with Brandeis' existing strengths, including bioengineering and materials science, while enhancing our existing undergraduate and graduate programs. Together, we will explore new approaches to issues of ethics, design, equity, sustainability and entrepreneurship, through collaborations, capstone projects, and team-taught courses with faculty from across the university. In the liberal arts tradition, our graduates will be outstanding communicators, writers, and stewards of social justice, and be poised for impactful careers as engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and more.
Brandeis Engineering will catalyze the university’s mission of advancing knowledge to enhance and enrich the human experience. Our new program will infuse engineering thinking and culture to all facets of our university, transforming our research enterprise and creating a cohort of uniquely Brandeisian engineers who will create sustainable solutions to the great challenges of our time. Beginning in F2023 we will offer introductory engineering courses in preparation for the major's official launch (which is slated for F2026, with our first graduates anticipated in the class of 2030). We encourage current students to take advantage of these new Engineering courses and facilities as they become available. Join us in this exciting endeavor as we shape the future of engineering education at Brandeis!
Courses of Instruction
Faculty
Seth Fraden is a Fellow of the American Physics Society, and has been the director of the Brandeis Materials Science Research and Engineering Center since 2011. His research group focuses on four core areas: non-linear chemical dynamics, active matter, microfluidics technology, and colloidal self-assembly. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from Brandeis University and holds a B.A. in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley.
Michael Norton is a researcher in the Brandeis Materials Science Research and Engineering Center studying Soft Active Materials. Through modeling and simulation, his research develops means for controlling pattern formation in non-equilibrium materials and living systems. He holds a Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania, and B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology. His hobbies of metalworking and sculpture complement his computational focus and inform the hands-on approach he brings to teaching ENGR 13a: Modeling and Simulation (Spring 2024).
Avital Rodal is a Senior Investigator in the Brandeis Materials Science Research and Engineering Center. Her research is centered on intracellular transport in the nervous system. She holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, and B.S. degrees in Biology and Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Ben Rogers is leader of the Brandeis Materials Science Research and Engineering Center's “Self-limited assembly” interdisciplinary research group. His research is aimed at uncovering the fundamental physical principles governing dynamic pathways for the self-assembly and self-organization of materials and living systems. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware. He is co-teaching ENGR 11a in Fall 2023.
Ian Roy is the Director for Research Technology and Innovation in Brandeis University's Library. He is also the Founding Head of the Brandeis MakerLab. His group (Research Technology and Innovation) manages the 3 public Makerspaces in the Brandeis Library: The MakerLab, The Automation Lab, and the Digital Humanities Lab. Ian's passion lies in design thinking, digital fabrication, and social impact of real-world solutions. He graduated from Brandeis with a BA in Philosophy and Economics, with a concentration in Film Studies. He is co-teaching ENGR 11a in Fall 2023.