Rose-Hulman’s groundbreaking Engineering Design academic program has received the prestigious Innovation Award from the national ABET accreditation organization. This honor and its $10,000 prize recognize programs that have brought new dimensions to improve students’ technical educational experience.

Engineering Design Program Director and Professor of Mechanical Engineering Patsy Brackin, PhD, will accept the award this fall at the ABET Awards Celebration.

“Our Engineering Design program is another example of our role as a trailblazer in science, engineering, and math education and why our peers continue to rank us No. 1 among undergraduate engineering education institutions,” said President Robert A. Coons. “Our Engineering Design students are gaining the skills to understand the depth and breadth of the design process while mastering the technical tools and professional skills to improve the world.”

Started in 2018, the Engineering Design program was created by Rose-Hulman faculty to provide students with skills to be perfectly suited for today’s rapidly changing, global job market. Students gain critical communication skills, a global perspective, and a comprehensive engineering education while tackling design challenges for real-world clients in six different design studios, beginning as early as the first academic quarter.

These design studios, located within the New Academic Building, provide students with an understanding of modeling systems, rapid prototyping, computer-aided design, machine shop techniques, electrical circuits, and software programming languages. Students may use their six technical electives to specialize in areas like product design, or add traditional academic minors within computer science, entrepreneurship, electrical and computer engineering, manufacturing, mechanical engineering, robotics, and areas of the humanities, social sciences, and the arts – further enhancing their ability to address the world’s biggest problems. 

The junior year has students participating in four professional work experiences, without adding to the time it takes to graduate, and allows for an international experience.

“Engineering Design is a major for today’s global and diverse economy,” states Brackin, a distinguished ABET Fellow. “The program is for creative thinkers who want to learn by doing in a hands-on, immersive educational experience. It has become popular with our students and prospective employers of our graduates.” 

Program graduates have gone on to work in industry with such companies as Raytheon Missile Systems, GE Appliances, Milwaukee Tool, Endress+Hauser, and Resultant. They also have started their own entrepreneurial enterprises and are attending graduate schools throughout the country.

The program earned accreditation status for meeting quality standards from ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission in 2023. 

“Our awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of individuals, programs, and institutions that have significantly advanced the quality of STEM education around the world. Each recipient exemplifies ABET’s values in creating a better world for all while inspiring the next generation of great problem solvers," stated ABET CEO Michael K. J. Milligan, PhD, in an ABET news release announcing the 2024 award winners.

Formerly known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, ABET is a non-profit organization of leaders within industry, academia, and government who are dedicated to contributing to their professions. Panels of these experts evaluate program materials and visit campuses to assure confidence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

Past ABET Innovation Award recipients have included the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, Villanova University College of Engineering’s Career Compass Program, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Robotics Engineering Program. 

Learn more about the Engineering Design program at www.rose-hulman.edu/engineeringdesign.