University of Nevada, Reno College of Engineering
State-of-art facilities and a strong commitment to the tech industries of the future are hallmarks of the University of Nevada, Reno College of Engineering. This nationally ranked college offers undergraduate and graduate research opportunities as well as a commitment to student success and workforce development, all in the burgeoning tech region of northern Nevada.
Here, engineers are prepared to contribute to the industries of the future, including clean energy, environmentally friendly lithium and recyclable batteries.
"It is important to recognize that as we contribute to the professions and industries of our state, the nation and the world, there are environmental impacts that always must be considered," Dean Erick Jones said.
Equitable infrastructure, resilient supply chains, unmanned vehicles and cybersecurity also are areas of focus for the College. New and upcoming professionals in those and other engineering fields will impact the way we experience life in profound and fundamental ways.
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College of Engineering programs and facilities offer opportunities for growth and exploration. One of the nation's first Batteries and Energy Storage Technologies minors — in which students make and test their own lithium-ion batteries — is here. The school's new William N. Pennington Engineering Building is home to a Class 100 cleanroom for biosensing and nanotechnology research. In fall 2022, the Center for Civil Engineering Earthquake Research debuted its Large-Scale Laminar Soil Box System, a unique experimental facility for evaluating soil-structure interaction.
Those are just a few opportunities. Programs are offered in biomedical engineering, civil engineering, chemical engineering, computer science and engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, materials science and engineering, and mechanical engineering. The College is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report as among the best for graduate engineering programs.
The College is set in northern Nevada, encompassing the greater Reno-Tahoe area, one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States. Key industries include renewable energy; advanced manufacturing; and aerospace and defense.
Research in focused areas
The small but growing College brings in an average $20 million in active contracts and grants annually, a primary factor in establishing the University of Nevada, Reno's RI "very high research activity" designation in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
Research is focused in five "pillars," all aligned to national priorities as outlined in the Infrastructure and Jobs Act of 2021, Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Graduate and undergraduate students have opportunities to work with top researchers in these areas:
- Resilient supply chains: College research includes optimizing a globally sourced, sustainable supply chain and manufactured systems in pharma and active pharma ingredients, EV batteries, semiconductors and critically mined minerals.
- Equitable infrastructure, mitigating natural hazards: College researchers are engineering and designing equitable community infrastructure to mitigate cascading local, regional and global hazards, including wildfires, water issues and earthquakes.
- Cyber-protected information and communication technology: College research is focused on designing cyber-enabled information and communications technology systems that drive the future.
- Sustainable, net-circular, green and recyclable systems: College researchers are designing for sustainable, net-circular, green and recyclable world.
- Unmanned vehicles and the new space frontier: College research is focused on unmanned vehicles and the new space frontier.
The path forward
The College of Engineering supports the University of Nevada, Reno's land grant mission to better humanity, the environment and Nevada by providing outstanding learning, discovery and engagement programs. Among them: the Engineering Living Learning Community for first-year students with a declared major in the College of Engineering. Additionally, all seniors participate in a team capstone project to create an engineering product or concept that can be applied in the community.
Engineers impact the world; begin making a difference at the University of Nevada, Reno College of Engineering.
