Engineering

Associate Professor Puerzer, Chairperson
Associate Professor Hunter, Assistant Chairperson
Professors Burghardt, Craig, Ghorayeb, Kwong, Rabbany, Rooney,
Associate Professors Caputi, Currie, Goldberg, de Guzman, Merna, Miranda, Rojas-Murillo, Segal, Vaccaro
Assistant Professors Albers, Galli, Suh, Williamstyer

The Jean Nerken Distinguished Professorship In Engineering is held by Dr. Sina Y. Rabbany, Professor of Engineering. See Endowed Chairs and Distinguished Professors .

Mission Statement

The Department of Engineering at Hofstra University offers the following degree programs: a Bachelor of Engineering in Engineering Science , a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering , a Mechanical Engineering, BS Major in , a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering , a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering , a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering Science .

Since all degrees are offered under the aegis of a single department, the organizational structure fosters collegiality among faculty of different programs and ensures that all students are exposed to a variety of engineering disciplinary perspectives. The knowledge base encompassed by engineering is constantly expanding, but the fundamental skills and aptitudes which a four-year undergraduate program can hope to impart to graduates remain the same, regardless of time or of a specific degree. They include a solid grounding in mathematics as a language to express scientific laws, in applied physics as represented primarily in the engineering sciences, in engineering design integrated throughout the curriculum but especially demonstrated through participation in capstone team projects, and in a well-chosen variety of social sciences and humanities.

Technological advances generated by the engineering profession have foreseen and unforeseen effects on human culture and civilization. The broadly educated Hofstra engineering graduate will mirror the multifaceted engineer/builder envisioned in classical times by Vitruvius, and will therefore be best situated to assess the consequences of the societal changes constantly being wrought by the profession. The department benefits from an active relationship with professionals through its Dean’s Advisory Board, which assists in maintaining the vision of its programs.

Department of Engineering Student Outcomes

While adhering to the general philosophy outlined above, each degree program is committed to ensuring that its graduates exhibit a range of abilities indicative of a successful member of the engineering community. These include:

an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Students matriculate in an ambiance of small class size, excellent student-faculty interaction, and easy access to all laboratory facilities for research and design projects. All students, part-time as well as full-time, are assigned a faculty adviser in their general field of interest and may choose from a range of engineering and science electives to build a foundation for the engineering career of their choice. For some, the goal will be graduate study in a specialized area of engineering, such as civil, electrical, mechanical, or biomedical; for others, a position in industry or government research, development, and design.

ROTC scholarship engineering majors, who must take additional courses in Military Science, may be funded for a total of five years while completing their engineering degree.

Technology and Public Policy (TPP) Courses

These courses were formulated in response to the perceived needs of industry, government, and business. The objectives are:

Establish the relationship between technology and public policy by focusing on the utilization of technology for the fulfillment of societal needs;
Examine the impact and pervasiveness of existing and potential technology on society;
Evaluate the converse concept of the role of technological developments in influencing and producing changes in public policy; and
Determine the effect of public policy on the stimulation, control, and regulation of technology as applied to social, economic, political, and national defense problems.

The courses are designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop a minor in conjunction with one of several disciplines, such as chemistry, communication arts, computer science, economics, engineering, history, mathematics, philosophy or political science.

DeMatteis Experiences for Professional Training and Hiring (DEPTH)

The Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science is committed to ensuring that all undergraduate students engage in professional development activities prior to earning their degrees.

Consequently, the DeMatteis Experiences for Professional Training and Hiring (DEPTH) program has been created to provide specific opportunities for students to fulfill that requirement and be better prepared for entering the working world. Every student must complete at least one professional activity prior to graduation. Examples of meeting this criterion include:

Take SEAS 100 and then work as a Co-op student
Work as an intern in a field related to a major
Maintain paid employment in any field
Participate in the W-SPiCE summer program and take SEAS 100
Participate in the ASPiRe program
Do faculty-supervised research
Participate in school-sanctioned competition(s) or other profession-oriented activities
Volunteer at a charitable or non-profit organization

Attainment of this requirement will be reviewed and determined by the engineering department. Official acknowledgment of the successful completion of this degree requirement will appear on the student’s transcript after approval by the Dean’s Office.