A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE DEAN

JUAN DE PABLO

When I stepped into the role of NYU Tandon's Executive Dean last October, I was honored to be entrusted with such a storied institution. Now after hundreds of conversations with students, faculty, industry partners, and stakeholders, one thing has become crystal clear: the best way to honor such a powerful history is by making NYU Tandon the global leader in transforming engineering research and education.

Higher education cannot resist the rapid disruption coming for every industry; we must step forward to meet the moment head-on. Educators now need to operate the same way successful technology companies do: leveraging data-driven evaluation, iteration, strategic experimentation, and a commitment to relentless innovation. With that in mind, we are channeling fresh perspectives and collaborative energy into reshaping our school and embarking on a multi-year transformation of our research efforts, curriculum, and facilities.

The transformation is already well underway, as is the growth necessary to realize our vision. Last year we brought in 18 exceptional new faculty, with 17 more signed on to start for this academic year. We saw over 33,000 applications for Fall 2025, allowing us to admit one of the most promising and accomplished cohorts in school history.

We launched three new programs this Fall—an AI-focused master’s degree, a master’s in quantum science & technology, and a B.S. in Environmental Engineering. We're combining the exceptional strengths of Tandon and the Courant Institute on foundational math, computing principles, and hand-on engineering applications to create a unified Computer Science department and a newly-merged Ph.D. program. 

Just this past year, we announced several exciting new research initiatives, including new Institutes for Engineering Health, Quantum Science, and Urban Science. We have cross-disciplinary teams working on advancing digital twins, chip design and security, flood resilience, and fire safety. In December, we are opening a new Center for Robotics and Embodied Intelligence. 

And we're just getting started.

I look forward to reporting even more news next year. We're currently in the advanced planning stages to launch nearly a dozen accelerated 4+1 programs that get our students into the workforce faster. We’re planning to launch new interdisciplinary degrees in health engineering and systems engineering, among other disciplines. And by Fall 2026, I have asked every faculty member to evaluate how to integrate AI responsibly into their courses. Not because it's trendy, but because ignoring AI in engineering education is professional malpractice. We're not preparing students for an AI-driven world—we're preparing them to lead it.

And, to enable more collaboration and innovation, we're renovating and growing our science and technology spaces because world-class research demands world-class infrastructure. That includes expansion into three brand new buildings over the next 3-5 years: 770 Broadway in Manhattan, and 3 MetroTech and 315 Jay Street adjacent to our campus in the heart of Brooklyn.

The bottom line: We are living in the most disruptive and exciting time in modern history, and my highest priority is to prepare our students and faculty to be the ones solving for those disruptions and defining what comes next.

Juan de Pablo

Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Executive Vice President
for Global Science and Technology, NYU
Executive Dean, NYU Tandon School of Engineering