Inspiring our community to advance the boundaries of engineering

This fall, Hitt Hall opened its doors to our engineering community, bringing opportunity for transformative research and experiential learning. We’re also celebrating 20 years of impact with the Department of Engineering Education, growth in health sciences research, and a continued focus on our presence in the D.C. area as we prepare to open the first building of the Innovation Campus in just a few short weeks. These are pivotal moments for the college and for Virginia Tech. The excellence of our faculty, students, and alumni have made these milestones possible; and I am inspired by the dedication to improve our world through engineering.

In this edition of our award-winning magazine, we share the work of our faculty, staff, and students; the success of our trailblazing alumni; and the impact of cutting-edge research happening throughout the college. You'll find stories that celebrate our most recent achievements while providing a glimpse into the future of engineering at Virginia Tech. Thanks to the work of our Hokie engineers, we are leading in areas like environmental research, additive manufacturing, smart construction, autonomy and robotics, engineering in healthcare, and many more.  

We’re continuing to set our sights on the presidential priority of global distinction by raising our research profile and reputation, while also focusing on access and affordability for our students. In support of the Virginia Tech Advantage program, our goal is to remove financial barriers and provide unique experiential learning opportunities for our students. Throughout this issue of Virginia Tech Engineer, you will see excellence in research and experiential learning opportunities that prepare our students to solve the world’s most complex challenges.

We’re highlighting the college’s Living Learning Communities, Hypatia, Galileo, and Digerati, which provide a network of support for our first-year engineering students. You’ll also learn about our research related to climate change with a round-up of expertise from faculty across several engineering disciplines in our efforts to support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. In this issue, we visit with Virginia Tech Engineering alumnus and group vice president of Toyota Racing, David Wilson, for a behind the scenes look into the world of NASCAR; and then take a trip to RockyDale Quarries with our mining engineering students for “Blast Day.”

These featured stories capture the spirit of our College of Engineering. Thank you for continuing to support this community. Together, we are actively building a better future for our students and the world.