Penn Engineering’s new strategic plan provides the roadmap for the School to navigate this era of rapid change, guiding the formation and execution of strategic priorities, collaborations and programs that will shape the future of engineering at Penn.

At Penn Engineering, we are writing the next chapter of a story that stretches from the dawn of the digital age to the era of artificial intelligence. This is a pivotal moment, not just for our School, but for society, and we are leveraging this opportunity to build the kind of engineering school the world will need for the age of AI and beyond.

You may not know it, but each time you get behind the wheel of a car, it likely holds technology invented by Penn Engineering alumnus Ralph Teetor, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1912 and a master’s in 1930. Among his many inventions, Teetor, a prolific tinkerer, developed and patented the Speedostat, the original cruise control, which was widely adopted by auto manufacturers by the late 1950s.

In the past year, Penn Engineering researchers advanced quantum and photonic networks, developed passive water-harvesting materials, a fungus-derived anticancer compound, and pushed the boundaries of early fibrosis detection, cleaner energy materials, improved epidemic modeling and faster AI-driven climate forecasts.

On the first day of her Introduction to Robotics class, Cynthia Sung, Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), tells students how much she enjoys the ease and efficiency of her washing machine. Then she poses a question: Is it a robot or a machine?

Kristin Houston (ENG’01), President of the Space Propulsion & Power Systems sector within the Aerojet Rocketdyne segment at L3Harris, shares her story from her time at Penn Engineering to sending spacecraft to the moon and beyond.

As a Ph.D. student, Lorena Grundy, Practice Assistant Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, once imagined leading a laboratory working in energy and sustainability, but an unexpected experience changed her outlook on how she could best impact her field.

With focused programming, personalized mentorship and internship experiences from startups and venture capital firms, the Sugi and Millie Widjaja Entrepreneurship Fellows Program at Penn Engineering offers a uniquely immersive experience for a select group of young engineers poised to become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs.

The Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST), located on Walnut Street across from the Singh Center for Nanotechnology, is the University’s new home for energy and sustainability research and education. This 111,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is a collaboration between Penn Arts & Sciences and Penn Engineering.

In 2026-26, Penn Engineering’s accomplishments included major research breakthroughs, prestigious faculty honors and awards, strategic investments and student success stories, underscoring growth in academics, sustainability, AI and real-world impact across engineering disciplines.

Over the last year, Penn Engineering welcomed 11 new faculty across Bioengineering, Computer and Information Science, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics.

Remembering Norman I. Badler, Rachleff Professor Emeritus in the Department of Computer and Information Science (CIS), a pioneering researcher, visionary educator and dedicated mentor.

Vanessa White joined Penn Engineering as Vice Dean of Development and Alumni Relations in March 2025, bringing to the School over two decades of leadership in advancement, nonprofit strategy and stakeholder engagement.