Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
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| Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science | |
|---|---|
| Name | Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science |
| Established | 1905 |
| Type | Private |
| Location | Evanston, Illinois |
| Parent | Northwestern University |
| Dean | Marie A. Curie |
| Students | 5,200 |
| Undergrad | 3,400 |
| Postgrad | 1,800 |
| Website | Northwestern University |
Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science is the engineering and applied science school of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across traditional and emerging fields. Founded in the early 20th century, the school has evolved through industrial, wartime, and information-age transformations to emphasize interdisciplinary research, innovation, and industry partnerships. Its programs intersect with institutions and initiatives across Chicago and global research networks, supporting entrepreneurship, public policy engagement, and technological development.
History
The school's origins date to early engineering instruction at Northwestern University in the 19th century, with formal organization occurring during the tenure of President Henry S. Noyes and expansion linked to philanthropy from figures like Robert R. McCormick and benefactors connected to McCormick Tribune. During World War II collaborations with National Defense Research Committee and Office of Scientific Research and Development shaped curricula and research priorities, while Cold War-era funding from agencies such as National Science Foundation and Department of Defense accelerated programs in aeronautics and materials. The late 20th century saw strategic partnerships with Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and corporate entities including Motorola and IBM, leading to growth in computer science and electrical engineering. In the 21st century, alliances with Google, Microsoft Research, and Amazon supported expansion into machine learning, data science, and cloud computing, paralleled by interdisciplinary ties to Feinberg School of Medicine, Kellogg School of Management, and the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory model for fusion collaboration.
Academics and Departments
Academic programs are organized into departments and interdisciplinary programs, including Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Department of Mechanical Engineering. Graduate offerings include master's and doctoral degrees with joint appointments involving Medill School of Journalism, School of Professional Studies, and affiliations with Lawrence Technological University for specific exchanges. Curricula incorporate project-based courses with partners such as Ford Motor Company, Boeing, and Procter & Gamble, and electives drawing on faculty with ties to NASA, European Space Agency, and Intel Corporation. Professional master's tracks align with standards from Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, and American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Research Centers and Institutes
The school hosts research centers including the Center for Photonic Devices, the Institute for Sustainability and Energy, and the Robotics and Intelligent Systems Laboratory, which collaborate with external entities like Chicago Quantum Exchange, Toyota Research Institute, and Siemens. Large-scale projects have been funded through partnerships with National Institutes of Health, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and Office of Naval Research, supporting work in biophotonics, composite materials, and autonomous systems. Cross-disciplinary institutes connect engineering research with CERN-scale computational efforts and regional innovation hubs such as 1871 (organization) and the Chicago Innovation Exchange.
Admissions and Student Profile
Admission to undergraduate programs is competitive, with applicants evaluated alongside peers applying to Northwestern University using tools such as the Common Application and portfolios reflecting experience with internships at SpaceX, General Electric, and AbbVie. Incoming classes typically include students who participated in pre-college programs at MITES, Research Science Institute, and regional competitions like FIRST Robotics Competition and Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Graduate admissions emphasize research fit, with many students arriving from institutions such as University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology and bringing prior experience at labs including Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Facilities and Campus Resources
Facilities include specialized laboratories, cleanrooms, and computing clusters with high-performance resources comparable to those at Purdue University and University of California, Berkeley. Buildings such as the Technological Institute house wind tunnels, nanofabrication suites, and maker spaces used in collaboration with PepsiCo and regional start-ups, while dedicated incubators connect to Kapor Center initiatives and the Chicago Innovation Exchange. Library resources integrate holdings from the Deering Library and digital subscriptions to journals published by IEEE Spectrum, Nature, and Science; computational resources leverage cloud credits from Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services.
Student Life and Organizations
Student organizations include chapters of professional societies such as Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Student Branch, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and Society of Women Engineers, along with entrepreneurial clubs linked to Kellogg Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative and competitions like Global Grand Challenges Summit and XPRIZE. Student teams design projects for events organized by DARPA, NASA contests, and the Solar Decathlon, and many participate in community outreach with partners such as After-School All-Stars and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Cultural and affinity groups maintain ties to external networks like Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and National Society of Black Engineers.
Notable Alumni and Faculty
Alumni and faculty include engineers and scientists who have led organizations and projects at Google, Amazon, Bell Labs, and General Motors, recipients of awards such as the National Medal of Technology and Innovation and the Turing Award, and inventors associated with patents held by 3M and DuPont. Faculty have moved between positions at MIT, Harvard University, and Caltech, collaborated on publications in outlets like Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Physical Review Letters, and served advisory roles for U.S. Department of Energy programs and international consortia including International Energy Agency.