Engineering for Humanity

From its origins in 1864 as a school of metallurgy and mining, Columbia Engineering contributed to the growth of a rapidly industrializing nation. Since then, its graduates and faculty have transformed entire industries with inventions including early steamboat technology, a punch card system, FM radio, the Pupin coil, the radio proximity fuse, the Kalman filter, and technology that made the mass production of antibiotics possible. They have also led such groundbreaking projects as New York’s first subway and the world’s first nuclear submarine.

Today, Columbia Engineering continues to aspire to bring our engineering impact to the service of humanity. Our vision—Columbia Engineering for Humanity—sets a bold path for a sustainable, healthy, secure, connected, and creative humanity. It is exemplified by the pioneering work our faculty and students are doing across departments and disciplines, in partnership with sister schools, institutes, government, and industry.

We have never been more optimistic about the role engineering can play in the service of society and in bringing those advances to the many challenges facing our world. 

See the impact Columbia Engineering is having today.