Dean's Message
In early March, 2020, Santa Clara University’s winter quarter was almost finished. Following a phenomenal National Engineers Week celebration, students and faculty were gearing up for finals week and anticipating spring break.
But things changed drastically as the COVID-19 outbreak reached astonishing proportions. Students were sent home, face-to-face meetings of classes were suspended, and, with just one day’s notice, faculty were challenged to move to a virtual teaching format. School of Engineering faculty and administrators immediately swung into action to ensure a smooth transition to online instruction and to make decisions about spring classes and labs. In the midst of this planning, Santa Clara County implemented a shelter-in-place order, campus was closed, and faculty and staff began working remotely from home.
Throughout these unprecedented experiences, this community has shown graciousness, patience, creativity, and openness to learning new tools and adapting to a new reality and the uncertainties that lie ahead. It is heartening to be at a place with such amazing people, and I am confident we will emerge from these trials stronger than ever.
Elaine P. Scott, Ph.D ｜Dean
School of Engineering