Dean’s Message

It is hard to believe how quickly and completely our lives have changed since the global COVID-19 pandemic began. The Case School of Engineering has rallied together in the face of these unprecedented challenges to adapt, respond and assist one another and the broader community.

This tremendous response is due in no small part to the dedication, professionalism and creativity shown by our faculty and staff, and their consistent willingness to go above and beyond to meet the demands of a challenging situation — from working overtime to ensure essential research continues, to facilitating an extraordinarily quick and remarkably successful transition to a remote learning and working environment.

Our students, likewise, have shown their strong character through flexibility, a willingness to adapt to a difficult and disappointing situation and a determination to succeed in their new reality.

At its most basic level, engineering applies scientific principles to invent, design, build, create and solve problems. As engineers, we have a crucial role to play in contributing to new and innovative solutions to contain this pandemic and keep our communities functioning amid crisis. I cannot express how proud I am of the many ways our alumni, faculty, researchers and students have stepped up to this challenge.

Finally, I’d like to acknowledge the students who will complete their journey at Case Western Reserve this semester and join the ranks of alumni. Their final semester was one of upheaval and unexpected change, instead of ceremony and celebration. The resolve they have shown to adapt and complete their studies will serve them well, be that in further study or in the workforce. We can all be proud of the resilience of this next generation of CWRU engineers.

A simple “thank you” seems inadequate in a time like this, but I am more grateful than I can express for your continued support and the contributions you are making every day to engineer new solutions to our world’s problems.

Best regards, Venkataramanan “Ragu” Balakrishnan Charles H. Phipps Dean, Case School of Engineering