As Professor Elie Bou-Zeid eloquently explains in the opening essay of this magazine, the way we build and reshape urban areas over the coming decades will determine a lot about the long-term health of society and this planet.
No small task, but Princeton excels at this kind of grand challenge. The future of cities is a complex mix of societal, technological, environmental, economic, and ethical questions, and Princeton is well equipped to knit creative, effective solutions. More generally, the Metropolis Project that Elie introduces is just one example of the high-impact work and focus on societal benefit at the School of Engineering and Applied Science. We have tremendous momentum and growth in data science, bioengineering, and robotics and cyberphysical systems, as well as in advancing the overall diversity and inclusion of the school. All this work brings together two distinctive strengths of Princeton engineers: a culture of fluidly integrating diverse viewpoints and disciplines, and the ability to distill problems to their core constraints, then develop solutions with widespread impacts.
I welcome your comments, questions, and personal stories of engineering in the service of society.
H. Vincent Poor *77
Interim Dean
Michael Henry Strater University
Professor of Electrical Engineering
