W ELC O M E
FR O M TH E D EA N
T
he traditional view of engineering is that it is a numbers-driven
discipline. Certainly there is much truth to that stereotype.
Engineering is grounded in data, and engineers are by definition
problem solvers.
But one thing I’ve learned during my tenure as dean is that there is
so much more to engineering — especially engineering as practiced at
U.Va. — that transcends the stereotype. In addition to analytical ability,
successful engineering requires the creativity of the arts, the empathy
and conceptual imagination of the social sciences, and the critical
thinking and communication skills of the humanities. Engineers need
these skills if they are to harness the full power of engineering for the
benefit of society.
Our purpose in selecting subjects for this issue of UNBOUND was to
highlight undergraduates, graduate students and faculty who embody, in
their own ways, the breadth and depth that U.Va. engineering represents,
who set new standards for excellence.
As a school, it is critical that we continue to attract people who share
these qualities. We have been notably successful in persuading the
most talented undergraduate students in the nation to join us. We have
significantly improved the quality of our graduate program. And we have
attracted outstanding scholars and teachers both to grow our faculty and
to replace professors who are retiring.
The competition at all levels for these exceptional individuals is
intense. Thanks to the support of the University and the Engineering
School community, we will continue to succeed in bringing them to U.Va.
J A M E S H. AY L O R
Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science
Louis T. Rader Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
U.Va. ENGINEERING
UNBOUND
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Editors
Charlie Feigenoff
Josie Pipkin
Art Director
Travis Searcy,
Mountain High Media
Photography
Tom Cogill
(unless otherwise noted)
U.Va. Engineering UNBOUND is published
by the School of Engineering and Applied
Science at the University of Virginia. An
online version of the magazine is available
at www.seas.virginia.edu/pubs/unbound.
Address corrections to U.Va. Engineering
Foundation, P.O. Box 400256, University of
Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4256, or
email to [email protected].
Cover
After building its reputation
as a producer of memory
chips, Micron Technology has
introduced the Automata
Processor. This novel processor
has the potential to eliminate
computational roadblocks to
research in fields like bioinformatics
and network security.