ENGINEERING
Stanford | School of Engineering — Student
Stanford Engineering is home to 3,600 graduate students. Our students come from 44 of the 50 U.S. states and over 80 countries. With 54% of our graduate students enrolled in a PhD program and 46% pursuing their master’s degree, our school is made up of students from a wide variety of backgrounds, identities and experiences. While 58% of our students come from the U.S., our international students make up 42% of our graduate student community and hail from countries including Argentina, Australia,
Bangladesh, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Zambia. Our engineers come here from more than 380 colleges and universities around the world. Stanford Engineering believes in harnessing the power of our students’ diversity to help solve important global problems. Given Stanford’s extraordinary breadth across disciplines, our community is dedicated to creating opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
34% of our engineering graduate students identify as female
15% Our goal is to create an inclusive environment where differences are celebrated and students of all backgrounds are empowered to be their full, authentic selves. We aim to recruit and support a diverse student body, and to cultivate an academic community built on collaboration, innovation and individual health and wellness. Engineers have the potential to positively impact people and society; we need you to come help us tackle the most pressing challenges of the 21st century.
of our U.S. engineering graduate students identify as URMs*
42% of our engineering graduate students are international students
*Under-represented minority (URM) students are U.S. citizens or permanent residents who self-identify as American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/ African American, Hispanic/Latino, and/or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander
Stanford | School of Engineering — Student
At Stanford Engineering, we know that a commitment to diversity is a commitment to excellence.
Student Life
Stanford | School of Engineering — Student
Ana María Tárano
PhD candidate, Aeronautics and Astronautics
PHOTO CREDIT: CHOR SENG TAN
I love my research, but if I were to put all of my self-value in the success of hypotheses, I’d end up disappointed. I am an engineering graduate student, but that isn’t the only identity that defines me. I am a first-generation Cuban American immigrant. Family, community and nature fuel me. I am empathetic, creative and extremely curious. I am committed to advancing equity and defending human rights. I express myself through fashion, photography and telenovela mannerisms. When exploring new interests, I employ campus resources and focus on self-growth to maximize my learning experience. I am on the Diversity and Advocacy Committee of the Graduate Student Council and as a part of this group get to advocate for real change for graduate student issues that I am passionate about — mental health, inclusion and funding for families—through a unified, organized voice.
Stanford | School of Engineering — Student
“I am an engineering graduate student, but that isn’t the only identity that defines me. I am a first-generation Cuban American immigrant. Family, community and nature fuel me.”
Loza Tadesse PhD candidate, Bioengineering
Tim Abate PhD candidate, Materials Science & Engineering
PHOTO CREDIT: CHOR SENG TAN
Tim and I are from Ethiopia. I’m working on my PhD in bioengineering and Tim is pursuing his PhD in materials science and engineering. As a part of our admissions package, we were both offered a fellowship called EDGE, or Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education. Included in this fellowship is not only financial assistance for our research but also opportunities for mentorship as well as resources to make our transition to campus easier.
Stanford | School of Engineering — Student
“We were both offered a fellowship called EDGE. Included in this fellowship is not only financial assistance for our research but also opportunities for mentorship.”
Stanford | School of Engineering — Student
Stanford | School of Engineering — Student
“On the day I submitted my application I thought that even if I was accepted, my family and I could not afford the cost. Looking back, I'm so glad I didn't let that stop me from applying.” Jorge Cueto MS ’18, Computer Science
On the day I submitted my application I thought that even if I was accepted, my family and I could not afford the cost. At the time, I wasn’t aware of Stanford’s exceptional financial aid programs. Looking back, I’m so glad I didn’t let that stop me from applying. If I could give just one piece of advice to those unsure of whether they’d be able to pay for a Stanford education, take the time to familiarize yourself with the financial aid programs before making the decision not to apply because of cost.
PHOTO CREDIT: CHOR SENG TAN
Applying to Stanford Engineering
“I feel fortunate to have received a fellowship for my graduate studies at Stanford. Without that support, I wouldn’t be here.” Jesse Streicher
PHOTO CREDIT: AMANDA LAW
Financial Assistance
Apply If you are considering Stanford graduate programs and need assistance with the application fees, consider applying for a fee waiver. We especially encourage such applications from first-generation, low-income students, and students from underrepresented backgrounds who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents: https://stanford.io/gradfeewaiver The Educational Testing Service (ETS) offers a limited number of GRE Fee Reduction Vouchers for college seniors and unenrolled college graduates who meet eligibility requirements: https://stanford.io/gre If you have participated in a diversity-based program such as McNair, Amgen, or Leadership Alliance, you may also qualify for an additional type of fee waiver. More information can be found here: https://stanford.io/diversityprogramwaiver Stanford Engineering is committed to training a diverse group of engineers who come from a wide range of backgrounds. There is no one “right” way into the school and no one “composite” student. The admissions committee is dedicated to holistically evaluating each applicant based on a variety of factors, including academic achievements, letters of recommendation attesting to research and academic skills and a statement of purpose. While research experience is important, the interdisciplinary and collaborative culture of Stanford Engineering means that exact disciplinary expertise is not critical.
Most graduate students are concerned about funding their graduate education. At Stanford Engineering, your graduate application is also your application for fellowships and assistantships. For PhD students and some master’s students, this funding is part of the admissions offer. Master’s students who are not offered funding as part of admissions may seek teaching and research assistantships. Each department website has more information on these processes. Regardless of Stanford-provided funding, prospective students are strongly encouraged to apply for internal fellowships, such as the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program and external fellowships, such as the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship and fellowships offered by the National Science Foundation, Hertz Foundation and Ford Foundation. These fellowships strongly enhance your resume for your future career. PhD Funding Stanford Engineering departments guarantee every PhD student full tuition and a salary or stipend, consistent with minimum university and department guidelines, provided they remain in good standing
relative to their program requirements. This funding is typically a combination of Stanford fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships and external fellowships. Masters funding Most departments do not guarantee funding for master’s students. However, many receive external fellowships and some are Knight-Hennessy Scholars. In some departments, teaching assistantships are also available. Please refer to department websites for more information. Master’s students may also consider loans through the financial aid office: https://financialaid.stanford.edu/loans/ Additional Funding at Stanford The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) supports graduate students, student groups and department-based projects through funding and professional development opportunities. Advanced doctoral students can also apply to the VPGE for competitive funding such as the Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship (SIGF) and the Diversifying Academia Recruiting Excellence (DARE) fellowship: h tt p s : / / v p ge . sta n f o r d . e d u / https://vpge.stanford.edu/fellowshipsfellowships-funding/overview funding/overview
Stanford | School of Engineering — Applying
Stanford | School of Engineering — Applications
PhD candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Programs Our programs provide a forum for students to access resources, build community and collaborate. Equity and Inclusion Initiatives Lourdes Andrade Director of Equity and Inclusion Initiatives
“Everyone is a resource to support grad students at Stanford. My lab is really supportive, which is the foundation of my community in grad school. But I’ve found a lot of help in different places: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Financial Aid, the Stanford Federal Credit Union and the Graduate Life Office. You don’t know what you don’t know, but if you need help, just ask and you’ll find it.”
PHOTO CREDIT: JACK LI
Alaisha Alexander
PhD candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Marlette Jackson
Assistant Director of Equity and Inclusion Initiatives PHOTO CREDIT: JACK LI
“Given existing societal and institutional barriers, we know that we don’t all start from the same place. We are committed to remedying this by creating an inclusive culture where people of all backgrounds can thrive. The goal of Stanford Engineering’s Equity and Inclusion Initiatives is to ensure that diversity efforts are not siloed but are ingrained in the very fabric of the institution. Our programs provide a forum for students to access resources, build community and collaborate toward our shared goals of equity and excellence in engineering. But more than this, we want to empower students to become change agents and thought leaders in their own right. This can only be accomplished if forging an inclusive culture becomes the shared responsibility of faculty, staff, students and alumni.”
Recruitment Graduate Pathways to STEM (GPS) Explore advanced engineering. At this annual one-day symposium, prospective students learn about the benefits of master’s and PhD engineering degrees. Students are provided with the information they need to apply and finance their education. In addition, participants get the opportunity to connect with a graduate-student mentor who can offer guidance on the application process.
Stanford Exposure to Research and Graduate Education (SERGE) Experience Stanford up close. In partnership with the Black Engineering Graduate Student Association (BEGSA), Stanford Engineering hosts select prospective doctoral students for a fully funded, two-day campus visit. The visit includes introductions to faculty, students, research labs and campus life, as well as workshops on application preparation.
groups are just a few of the student groups that offer community involvement opportunities, professional development workshops and academic assistance. Advocacy
Outreach
PHOTO CREDIT: SAUL BROMBERGER
Onboarding Summer Opportunities in Engineering Research and Leadership Advance early. Incoming doctoral students get a jumpstart on their academic journey during an intensive 8-week residential program that includes a full lab rotation, lessons in applying for research grants and workshops that promote individual health and well-being. Advancement Additional Calculus for Engineers (ACE) Get empowered. Earn additional funding by teaching weekly small group sessions for undergraduates needing additional support in introductory courses in math, computational and mathematical engineering and computer science.
Inclusion and Belonging Womxn of Color in Engineering Deepen connections. We encourage Black, Latinx, American Indian and/or Pacific Islander womxn graduate students to bond over shared experiences, ally with mentors and enhance their leadership and professional development skills as part of an extensive network of university-wide support services. Student Societies Build community. The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), Black Engineering Graduate Student Association (BEGSA), Grad Society of Women Engineers (GradSWE), Latinx Engineering Graduate Student Organization (LEGOS), Out in STEM (oSTEM), Stanford Native American Graduate Students (SNAGS)
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Discover the power of research. This 8-week residential experience exposes undergraduates from across the country to graduate research by working closely with doctoral students and faculty on a research project. Students receive a stipend and graduate school preparation, including a GRE study course. Participants take excursions around the Bay Area, engage in community building activities, participate in a research poster symposium and connect with mentors. Additional Campus Resources Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Maintain your well-being. CAPS, the university’s counseling center, is dedicated to student mental health and well-being. In addition to providing clinical services, CAPS supports programs that promote mental health, emotional resilience and wellness throughout the campus community. Vaden Health Center Focus on your health and wellness. Vaden Health Center is home to Stanford’s resources for counseling, psychological, medical and wellness/health promotion services.
Stanford | School of Engineering — Programs
Engineering Equity and Innovation Partnership (EEIP) Become a change agent. Apply for micro-grants that provide you with the agency to plan and coordinate your own projects related to diversity, inclusion, belonging and wellness.
Stanford Community Centers Find your home. The Stanford Community Centers provide a gateway to intellectual, cultural and leadership opportunities for all Stanford students. Our centers include the Asian American Activities Center (A3C), Black Community Services Center (BCSC), Diversity and First-Gen Office (DGen), El Centro Chicano y Latino, Queer Student Resources, Markaz: Resource Center for Engagement with the Cultures and Peoples of the Muslim World, Native American Cultural Center (NACC) and the Women’s Community Center (WCC).
Stanford | School of Engineering — Programs
Stanford | School of Engineering — Programs
Graduate Life Office (GLO) Get advice and support. GLO is available to help navigate the issues, challenges and complications that are a part of adjusting to life on campus.
Graduate Student Council (GSC) Fund. Plan. Advocate. The GSC serves Stanford’s graduate students by representing their interests in university affairs, supporting graduate student organizations and providing community events for graduate students. Bechtel International Center (I-Center) Expand your horizons. The I-Center believes that international educational exchange nurtures a lifelong global perspective. It offers support for international students as well as resources for U.S. students who are pursuing study and research opportunities abroad. Lab Group Community Discover your research community. Stanford lab groups form a community of scholars dedicated to their field of research and to helping one another. We seek to create a culture where students will find a supportive and collaborative learning environment.
PHOTO CREDIT: DREW KELLY
Adam Simpson
PhD candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) Expand what’s possible. VPGE offers academic guidance and support, opportunities for professional development, fellowships and funding opportunities. BEAM, Stanford Career Education: Bridging Education, Ambition & Meaningful Work Plan your next step. BEAM is Stanford’s central career education resource and helps students explore interests, seek opportunities and develop professional connections. Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning (VPTL) Transform your learning experience. VPTL supports a range of services to help students optimize their learning potential. This includes academic skills coaching, tutoring and practice for language learners, as well as mentoring and development support for graduate and postdoctoral students who teach. Technical Communication Program (TCP) Communicate effectively. TCP offers individual consulting and coaching in addition to a range of courses to help students become more effective writers and presenters. Graduate Degree Programs • Aeronautics & Astronautics • Bioengineering • Chemical Engineering • Civil & Environmental Engineering • Computer Science • Electrical Engineering • Management Science & Engineering • Materials Science & Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering (ICME)
PHOTO CREDIT: TAMER SHABANI
Stanford | School of Engineering — Programs
PHOTO CREDIT: AMANDA LAW
“I’ve found a very supportive community in my lab. We enjoy each other and I’ve turned to my lab mates for support many times when things have been challenging. In addition, my supervisor has been great to work with. He’s the kind of person who is in and around the lab a lot and it’s nice to be able to run to his office to troubleshoot together from time to time.”
PHOTO CREDIT: AMANDA LAW
Theresa Johnson PhD ’15, Aeronautics & Astronautics
Alumni The work of engineers touches every aspect of our lives. Stanford engineers are a diverse community of more than 65,000 innovative, influential professionals who shape the future of technology, business, medicine, the environment and many other endeavors. Roughly 40% of Stanford Engineering PhD students go on to careers in business, government or nonprofits in the United States, while 30% of our PhD alumni pursue careers in academia.
Stanford Alumni Association (SAA) The Stanford Alumni Association exists to help you stay connected to Stanford and to other alumni, wherever you are in your life. Whatever you’re seeking, be it Stanford events or connections in your hometown, an excuse to come back to the Farm for reunion, a job lead or a mind-expanding magazine, SAA has you covered. https://stanford.io/stanfordalumni
I am an engineer and I am a mom. I do what I do to build a better, more tolerant world for my daughter. I believe in using technology for change. My goal is to build products that allow us to connect more deeply and authentically. I grew up in rural Illinois and Missouri and am a first-generation college graduate. I really want to bring the world where I grew up and a place like Silicon Valley together. My greatest achievement would be to build a high-tech product that my great-aunt in the Midwest would use. She won’t have every app on her smartphone, so what are practical ways that technology can improve her life?
“I grew up in rural Illinois and Missouri and am a first-generation college graduate. I really want to bring the world where I grew up and a place like Silicon Valley together.”
Stanford | School of Engineering — Alumni
Alumni Stanford engineers are a diverse community of more than 65,000 innovative, influential professionals.
Faculty and Research Solving future challenges begins with research. We are committed to providing world-class facilities and equipment that encourage students and researchers to work and study collaboratively across academic disciplines. Educating the next generation of engineers is at the very core of our mission, and preparing students to take on the challenges of the 21st century compels us to think anew about both what we teach and how we teach it. The engineering core curriculum will provide you with not only deep disciplinary insights, but also the skills to communicate, design and work in teams. In addition, you’ll develop a set of ethics and principles to help you consider the consequences of your work and tailor solutions to meet human needs. Paired with a strong foundation in liberal arts, our engineering program will help you develop a complete set of skills that prepares you to define what it means to be a humanist engineer. The faculty at Stanford Engineering are committed to a holistic approach to research, teaching, mentorship and service. The school values and rewards faculty who go the extra mile to support students in their development and success. In 2012, chemical engineering professor Thomas F. Jaramillo received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in recognition of his innovations in solar hydrogen production as well as excellence in mentoring.
Stanford | School of Engineering — Faculty
Computer science lecturer Cynthia Bailey Lee is passionate about making engineering classrooms more inclusive as a way to move the needle when it comes to the lack of diversity in the tech industry. She teaches a course called Race and Gender in Silicon Valley, which examines the importance of technology in shaping our understanding of social conditions in our community and the global economy.
260
3%
Total Number of Tenure-Track Faculty
Total Black Tenure-Track Faculty
83%
71%
Total Male Tenure-Track Faculty
Total White Tenure-Track Faculty
17%
2%
Total Female Tenure-Track Faculty
5% Total Hispanic Tenure-Track Faculty
19% Total Asian Tenure-Track Faculty
Total Tenure-Track Faculty Where Race and/or Ethnicity is Unknown
35% Faculty who have a PhD in a discipline outside of the department of their appointment
Stanford | School of Engineering — Faculty
Faculty We’re committed to a holistic approach to research, teaching, mentorship and service.
At the Designing Education Lab (DEL), a team led by mechanical engineering professor Sheri Sheppard is devoted to asking and researching questions like, “ How can we help students better navigate their engineering education?” and “ How can engineering attract and retain more diverse students?” Among other awards for her teaching, in 2014, Sheppard was named U.S. Professor of the Year for doctoral and research universities by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
“I love creating systems that humans interact with.”
Jeannette Bohg Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Thomas Kenny Richard W. Weiland Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs in the School of Engineering
PHOTO CREDIT: AMANDA LAW
As a first-generation college student, I appreciated working with faculty who were approachable. At Stanford, you will find faculty who are just that—approachable, open-minded and willing to take on projects outside of their comfort zone. In our research and teaching, the focus on human and societal impact is paramount. With access to a full range of disciplines from PHOTO CREDIT: ROD SEARCEY medicine to law to education and business, there is no shortage of thought-partners on campus who are passionate about collabo- John Dabiri rating in an effort to solve global problems. Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and of Mechanical Engineering
PHOTO CREDIT: HOLLY HERNANDEZ
Allison Okamura Professor of Mechanical Engineering and, by courtesy, of Computer Science
At Stanford, I’ve found that chance encounters often lead to unexpected and fulfilling research collaborations where each team member considers a project from a different angle: Some people think about the biological effects of a solution, while others consider the social or economic implications. One of the great things about our campus is that you have all of these different perspectives in one place—which was a huge draw for me when deciding to come here.
David Camarillo Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery and of Mechanical Engineering My research to build a better, smarter helmet to prevent concussions is a personal matter. I played football for 10 years and was struck in the head thousands of times, but with no concussions. Bicycling is the leading cause of sports-related concussion, and I have had two concussions that resulted from biking. Now my 4-year-old daughter wants to race down hills on her bike, intensifying my desire to make a positive change in the field of brain injuries. In my bioengineering lab, we collaborate with doctors at the medical school as well as other engineers to better understand how to prevent brain injury.
In college I decided to major in engineering because I liked math and science. But I also liked the idea that as an engineer, I would be a designer. I love creating systems that humans interact with. I also love teaching and working with students to shape the frontiers of knowledge, which is why I wanted to become a professor. I am passionate about imparting a holistic education, which connects technical skill to the understanding of people.
“We collaborate with doctors at the medical school to better understand how to prevent brain injury.”
PHOTO CREDIT: ROD SEARCEY
Stanford | School of Engineering — Faculty
Stanford | School of Engineering — Faculty
PHOTO CREDIT: AMANDA LAW
I’m a first-generation university graduate who grew up in communist East Germany. As part of my work, I develop courses in robotics and artificial intelligence for low-income and underrepresented youth. In addition, I organize networking workshops for female roboticists at academic conferences. My lab’s goal is to teach robots to see and move with the high degree of sophistication and spontaneity needed to work in a number of challenging environments, including homes, offices, hospitals, disaster zones and even underwater.
Notes
Stanford | School of Engineering
Stanford | School of Engineering
Stanford | School of Engineering
Stanford | School of Engineering
Stanford | School of Engineering
Stanford | School of Engineering