Since 1824, Rensselaer has been at the forefront of advancing human progress. Across the United States and around the globe, Rensselaer graduates constructed the canals, roads, bridges, skyscrapers, and basic infrastructure which helped to form the basis for 20th-century society. They also were instrumental in building the world’s early digital infrastructure, and made or drove breakthroughs in numerous other areas of science and technology, and business, and continue to do so.
Today at Rensselaer, we remain at the forefront of research and innovation. We prepared Rensselaer for leadership in areas of research that are of fundamental significance in the 21st century by focusing on five “signature thrusts” — crucial areas of multidisciplinary research based on the growing interface of the basic sciences and engineering. They are:
• Biotechnology and the Life Sciences
• Computational Science and Engineering
• Energy, Environment, and Smart Systems
• Media, Arts, Science, and Technology
• Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials
