SIF100 Graduate Engineering

Project Manager: Scott Barker, School of Engineering and Applied Science

The purpose of this award is to increase the long-term School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) graduate student enrollment numbers and quality. Overarching goal is to matriculate 70 new & highly diverse engineering students over three years.

BoV Approved: December 2016

Project Dates: 2/16/2018 – 6/30/2023

Total Funding: $6,400,000

Executive Summary

The fundamental goal of this proposal is to increase the research productivity and reputation of UVA Engineering and to thereby achieve a top-thirty ranking in the next ten years. The strategy for accomplishing this goal is to grow and develop the graduate education mission of UVA Engineering. Through this award, the project team aims to bring in 70 new PhD students into UVA Engineering through a combination of one-year fellowships for PhD students matriculating into the program with a Master’s degree; and two-year fellowships for PhD students matriculating into the program with a Bachelor’s degree. All fellowships will be awarded based on merit and an applicant’s potential contribution to UVA Engineering’s core values: 1) Societal Impact, 2) Educating Engineering Leaders, 3) Innovation, 4) Excellence Through Diversity, which UVA Engineering defines as excellence expressing itself through every person’s perspectives and lived experiences, and 5) Collegiality.

Current Status: Closed

Achievements

Through the award, the School of Engineering and Applied Science administered 70 fellowships to new PhD students matriculating into the school through four cohorts of fellows. PhD enrollment, research productivity, and reputation have all increased as a result of this project, leading to a ranking of 37 in the most recent (2023- 2024) U.S. News & World Report Best Engineering Graduate Program rankings release. In addition to a 57% increase in PhD enrollment overall, the project resulted in increased enrollment of women and underrepresented minority students in the PhD population. The effective methods developed through this project will continue to be used to grow the size of the PhD population and improve the School’s rankings.