A message from the Dean

Thank you for your interest in the undergraduate program in engineering at Rice. One of my most enjoyable activities as dean is to have lunch with our students and I always like to ask them why they chose to come to Rice. In addition to Rice, many of these students were offered admission to other top engineering schools, and I want to hear why they chose to come here.

One of the most cited reasons is the reputation of our engineering programs and of the university as a whole. Research opportunities top many students' list of reasons for coming to Rice, and those students are often involved in research from their freshman year. If they visited our campus before making their decisions, students are impressed by the friendliness of our students and invariably mention the beauty of our campus. The residence college system is very often mentioned, too.

When I ask students what they like most about their engineering programs, though, it's the approachability of our faculty and the small class sizes. We pride ourselves in having an atmosphere of collaboration, not competition. This makes a tremendous difference in our students' experience as engineering majors and it is an important factor in developing leadership skills.

Of course, there are as many reasons for coming to Rice as there are students who choose to do so. I invite you to spend some time in our web pages and read what our students have to say about their Rice engineering experience. Watch some videos about the research our students are doing and read about their other activities.

As you gather information about different universitites, remember that Rice is recognized for the quality of both its education and its research programs. As an engineering undergraduate here, you will find challenges in the classrooms and labs, and you will graduate with the tools needed to be successful in whatever career you choose.

Dean Sallie

Sallie Ann Keller
William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering