About Stanford Engineering

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Stanford Engineering has been at the forefront of innovation for nearly a century, creating pivotal technologies that have transformed the worlds of information technology, communications, health care, energy, business and beyond. The school’s faculty, students and alumni have established thousands of companies and laid the technological and business foundations for Silicon Valley. Today, the school continues to seek solutions to important global problems and educate leaders who will make the world a better place. 

Stanford Engineering's Mission

Our mission is to seek solutions to important global problems and educate leaders who will make the world a better place by using the power of engineering principles, techniques and systems. We believe it is essential to educate engineers who possess not only deep technical excellence, but the creativity, cultural awareness and entrepreneurial skills that come from exposure to the liberal arts, business, medicine and other disciplines that are an integral part of the Stanford experience.

Our key goals are to:

  • Conduct curiosity-driven and problem-driven research that generates new knowledge and produces discoveries that provide the foundations for future engineered systems
  • Deliver world-class, research-based education to students, and broad-based training to leaders in academia, industry, and society
  • Drive technology transfer to Silicon Valley and beyond with deeply and broadly educated people and transformative ideas that will improve our society and our world.

Stanford Engineering at a Glance

  • 4850 students (Spring 2014 enrollment: 1660 undergraduates, 3190 graduate students)
  • More than 250 faculty members
  • Three No. 1 department rankings, and all departments in the top 5
  • More than 80 labs, centers and affiliate programs involving students in research
  • All nine departments in 21st Century facilities

At the Intersection of Disciplines

A multidisciplinary, broad-based approach is central to our vision. We believe boundaries are always permeable. Our close collaboration with other schools on campus and with industry strengthens our academic programs. Our successes in education and research have not only trained generations of leaders and created new knowledge but also have helped revolutionize  technology, medicine, business and many other fields.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford Engineering has been the catalyst for many of the technologies and companies that define "The Valley," and which have in turn shaped the school.The success of this interaction is most apparent in the Bay Area, but it extends worldwide.

The school's history is one of pioneering innovations in research, transferring discoveries to the broader community, and educating tomorrow's leaders and entrepreneurs. Stanford Engineering faculty and graduates have founded an estimated 12,700 companies over the decades, contributing jobs and ideas to the global economy and improving people's lives. 

See the Stanford Innovation and Entrepreneurship Study

Search the Wellspring of Innovation database for companies started by Stanford faculty, students and staff.