This year, the Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE) hired 12 new faculty members. The college now has 135 faculty members, however, they are seeking to hire six to eight more this year.

In an interview with The Highlander, Angela Meluski, the director of marketing and communications at BCOE stated that the demand for engineers in the workplace continues to increase and at engineering colleges across the nation, including BCOE, applications exceed enrollment capacity. “The college had more than 11,000 applicants this year and we are able to accommodate only a small percentage of the qualified applicants,” stated Meluski. Meluski added that BCOE hired 12 new faculty this year to support the growth in the number of students seeking engineering degrees.

For the past year, BCOE has worked to develop a strategic plan that will define the college’s next five, 10, 15 years and beyond, noted Meluski. She stated, “This year’s faculty hires will contribute to our education mission at the undergraduate through doctoral levels as well as our research mission through solving critical problems in the areas of medical technology, big data, machine vision and artificial intelligence, automation and robotics, and other areas critical to society.”

The new faculty members were hired for their “incredible strengths and background in teaching and research,” said Meluski. The new hires will enable BCOE to continue to expand the number of students they educate and graduates who will ultimately be recruited to top-paying jobs. “UCR was ranked No. 1 in social mobility. Many of our engineers come from low-income backgrounds and walk into very large starting salaries. BCOE is making a difference in the lives of our students,” stated Meluski.