Stevens Institute of Technology: Admissions Blog

Fall Visit Days at Stevens

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions at Stevens is excited to meet prospective students at our upcoming Visit Days. These events are designed to give you the best opportunity to learn about life and learning at Stevens.

You'll meet current students and faculty who are delighted to meet students interested in Stevens, and you'll have an opportunity to take a tour of our beautiful campus, which includes a one-of-a-kind view of the Manhattan skyline. You’ll also learn more about admissions and financial aid.

In addition to our general admissions visit days, we will be featuring several events that focus on specific academic areas, like our Computer Science/Cybersecurity Visit Day on September 29th. Check out our fall event schedule, and register today!

There is so much good news happening at Stevens – from our excellent career outcomes for the Class of 2012 and being ranked 13th nationally for career development by The Princeton Review, to our hometown of Hoboken, NJ, being named among the top 10 college towns in the country (also by The Princeton Review.) We are especially excited about our significant climb in the U.S. News and World Report rankings, having advanced 13 spots this year – more than any other university in the report.

We're eager to share with you all that makes Stevens a great choice, and we're looking forward to meeting you at one of our on-campus events this fall. If you have any questions about Stevens or our events, don’t hesitate to contact us at admissions@stevens.edu or 800-STEVENS. 

Fall Spotlight on Summer Undergraduate Research

A Significant Stevens Advantage

Hundreds of students gathered at last week's Student Research Colloquium to display and discuss the research they led this summer. While a long-standing tradition at Stevens, the fall student research exhibit this year was a special highlight as the Colloquium kicked off a long weekend of exciting events celebrating the inauguration of Dr. Nariman Farvardin as the seventh president of Stevens Institute of Technology.

Among the packed crowd of students, faculty, and outside audience members attending the Colloquium, was the President himself, who expressed being inspired by the open forum. 

“I am overly excited about what I see. I am amazed that some of these students have started their research in their first summer at Stevens and are only in their second year now.  For them to do so much already is very impressive. These students are so bright, and I can see the spark in their eyes.” Dr. Farvardin added, “These are the leaders of the future.”

Access to research for Stevens undergraduates is one of the great advantages of being a student at Stevens and is an educational approach that is deeply rooted in Stevens' legacy. It's no surprise the Student Research Colloquium played an important role in the presidential inauguration this year. 

The research projects presented evolved from summer research in various disciplines, including chemical engineering, technology management, ocean engineering, music and technology, and many more. Students had access to hands-on research in collaboration with faculty mentors through two elite programs for especially high-achieving undergraduate students: the Stevens Scholars and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summer Research programs. 

 

Through their research activities, Stevens and Technogenesis Scholars acquire experience in advanced research, design, and business development projects and develop skills which, among many benefits, give them a leg up in the job market and/or disctinction as prospective graduate students of competitive graduate programs around the world.   

In addition to leading the inauguration weekend, the research exhibit was also distinct this year in the scope, diversity, and multidisciplinary characteristics of the students' work. "This year was a watermark in the history of our undergraduate research programs," said Shane Topping, Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Stevens. "The number of students, from across all the disciplines, as well as the broad range of projects they led are all very impressive indications of the limitless opportunities for hands-on, real-world, collaborative exploration and problem-solving here at Stevens." 

Victoria Baldwin, class of 2013, completed her project on photovoltaic efficiency through nonporous anti-reflective thin films. “As renewable energy continues to grow in significance each and every day, so does its compatible power sources, particularly in the photovoltaic field,” said Baldwin. “The question is whether photovoltaic efficiency can be significantly increased in order to make this field a more reliable and effective source of power for consumers.” Chemical engineering and materials science professor and chair Ronald Besser served as the faculty advisor for Baldwin's work.

Nicholas Catania presented his project, "Research and Development of an Interactive Learning Display for the Liberty Science Center," advised by music & technology professor David Musial.  Catania is  majoring in engineering physics and music & technology.

Robert Moakler, a double major in physics and service oriented computing, created a project based on the human psyche. His research is based on the concept that groups of users can successfully lie on the Internet using services like Twitter and Facebook. Moakler named the project “Anatomy of a Lie.” Professor Jeff Nickerson of the Howe School of Technology Management served as advisor.

Joseph Huyett and Angela LoPiccolo, both sophomore mechanical engineering majors, partnered to research vibration energy harvesting. Mechanical engineering and nanotechnology professor Frank Fisher served as advisor. The goal of their project was to autonomously tune piezoelectric beams to ambient vibrations. Magnets were utilized in order to change the stiffness and resonant frequency of the beams. During the course of the experiment, the prototype was redesigned to reduce the play in the system. A linear potentiometer was added to transmit data about the position of the beams to a microcontroller. 

“It was a great experience. There was no one babysitting us during the research, so it really taught us how to be our own boss," said Huyett. "I now know the value of time management, and, overall, I feel like we accomplished a milestone that I am truly proud of.”

 

Associate Provost of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Stevens, Christos Christodoulatos, took an opportunity to praise the research programs. “I think this is a tremendous success for our students and advisors,” he said. “Students are gaining experience through their projects, which emphasize innovation and entrepreneurship and teach our students the value and impact they have on society. They are given both the soft skills and business skills needed to compete in the real world.”

 

 

Career Focus at Stevens

Stevens' Career Fair last week attracted more than 100 companies and 700 students to the eagerly awaited, and historically successful, event held in the Schaefer Center each fall for seniors. 

The fair presented an opportunity for both sides - the Class of 2012 and potential employers - to connect and standout. From the overwhelming turnout and high level of preparedness, to the outstanding career outcomes Stevens publishes each year, it's clear that Stevens students make excellent use of their time in front of some of the nation's top companies and agencies that recruit talent here. Impressive career placement figures for the Class of 2011 include an average starting salary of $63,200, which is 9% above the national average. In addition, 85% of Stevens' Class of 2011 obtained job placement within three months of graduating, and 35% entertained more than one job offer.

"I received great, positive feedback from those who participated in the Career Fair, and I am delighted that the event generated a lot of excitement from everyone involved," said Lynn Insley, Director of Career Development at Stevens. "I'm especially pleased about the wide variety of employers represented this year."

Employer representation ran the gamut across industries, expertise, and types of jobs, which provided students from every discipline ample access to career networking and placement. Amid the economic stress of today, the diversity and breadth of commercial and government representation at this year's fall Career Fair is especially encouraging.  Some companies return to Stevens after years of maintaining relationships here, and some have a more recent presence.  NBC Universal, for example, made its first appearance last year. 

A representative from LGS Bell Labs Innovations summed up what his company sees in Stevens graduates this way: "The Stevens graduates we've worked with are well-prepared and they transition very well to high-end work with little stress and time. They adapt quickly and make positive contributions to sophisticated problems and projects right away. They're also team-oriented, which is  very beneficial." 

LGS Bell Labs delivers communications and R&D-based technology solutions to the U.S. government community and is looking to Stevens for computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, and physics majors to fill various full-time roles as well as internships. The representative added, "It's nearly impossible to predict where technology will be five years from now. We all know how quickly it evolves and changes. So we're not only looking for folks with excellent knowledge and experience, but also those who like to learn and who adapt while we all 'follow the technology', so to speak." 

At a pre-fair luncheon for employers and students, Stevens presented Johnson & Johnson with its Employer of the Year Award for going "above and beyond" the typical recruitment relationship. In addition to internships, co-op placements, and full-time employment, especially distinct is the company's role in providing student workshops in leadership and networking as well as Johnson & Johnson's sponsoring of Stevens senior design projects. 

Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP), Barclays Capital, Becton Dickinson & Company (BD), Deloitte Services, Ernst & Young, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Hamilton Sundstrand, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Morgan Stanley, L'Oreal USA, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Pepsi Bottling Group, Risk Management Solutions Inc.,  UBS, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Verizon were a few among the many companies represented.

 

Welcome Stevens Class of 2015

First Days on Campus: Sunny with a Chance of Fun... Despite Irene!

Stevens is excited to welcome its largest group of incoming freshmen ever, as members of the Class of 2015 officially begin classes this week.  

New students had much to see and do in their first days as Ducks. Undergraduate Orientation kicked off Wednesday, August 24, and those who participated in Pre-Orientation activities arrived the previous weekend for exciting activities included in the Outdoor Adventure, City Life, Sports and Fitness, and Performing Arts experiences that Stevens offers.

Orientation included a jam-packed schedule of events - the family BBQ and information fair, President's dinner, Freshmen Summer Games, and Stevens Luau were highlights among an exciting lineup of celebrations.     

 Hurricane Irene proved a slight challenge, but, on the flip side, the storm created a unique opportunity for new students to get a more immediate sense of the welcoming and socially conscious culture at Stevens. 

In the early morning of Saturday, August 27, the day of the storm's expected arrival - and four days into Student Orientation - over two dozen freshmen and their orientation leaders chipped in to help the mayor of Hoboken, Dawn Zimmer, and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members distribute critical information about evacuation and preparedness to city residents.

"We initially expected to be making calls from City Hall, but, instead, we set out on foot. We were given fliers in English and Spanish of the precautions everyone in Hoboken was to take during the storm," said Juliet Turalski, Stevens student and Orientation Leader.  "Those living in the basement of an apartment building had a mandatory evacuation notice, and all others who chose to stay in Hoboken during the storm had to be notified about how severe the storm was going to be and what they needed to do to prepare. It was tiring, and every volunteer stayed in it - doing the job without complaint. In my eyes, that showed a lot of integrity. It was a community service not many would do in such a critical time. I know Stevens students made a difference in Hoboken that day."

Originally designed as a park, waterfront, and community center painting and cleanup event (a new community service component of Student Orientation), Saturday morning's activity was modified to provide critical assistance to the city during the crisis. "The experience showed me how Hoboken, despite being a major city, is still a close-knit community where people look out for each other," said Robert Hale, incoming civil engineering student and one of the community service volunteers. "I don't feel like an interloper. I feel like a Hoboken resident."

Robert is one of 620 incoming students selected from more than 4,000 applicants this spring. These exceptional students not only make up the largest class, they enter Stevens as the most competitive and selective class in the University's history.  They will all soon learn that collaboration and benevolence are simply part of the mix here at Stevens.  

As always, Stevens' returning students played a significant role in welcoming the incoming class with open arms, cheers, and an outpouring of guidance and support. "Everyone here has been nice, and I've felt very welcome," said Terrance White, a freshman from Scotch Plains, New Jersey. "It's so comfortable and peaceful, which is especially remarkable with New York City only steps away."

Designing the Future

When presented with a real-world problem, Stevens Institute of Technology students kick into gear, and not just because they're required to do so.  The Senior Projects Expo last week exemplified the reality that Stevens students not only develop the skills and knowledge to design solutions to challenging problems but that they enjoy the process!  

It was a beautiful day as faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members and friends gathered for Stevens’ annual event, a showcase of the senior year design projects of the graduating students from the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science, the Howe School of Technology Management, and the School of Systems and Enterprises.

The Expo is the culmination of the undergraduate education experience at Stevens. It allows students to apply the knowledge they have learned over four years to address a significant challenge in the areas of engineering, science, computer science, engineering management, and technology marketing and management. More than 100 groups were present at this year’s event – with outdoor exhibition space set up for the first time ever to accommodate the overflowing arena. 

"Every year, it is exciting to see the progress, teamwork, and execution of these concepts as ideas become reality," says Dr. Keith Sheppard, Associate Dean of Engineering and Science. "A number of these projects will go on in competitions, while others will make positive changes as industry applications. These students look forward to an incredible future."

The projects on display ran the gamut from alternative energy solutions to biomedical applications to innovative and efficient new vehicles. 

Team Five Guys was among the senior design teams displaying their projects in the Canavan Arena. Nyle Hammond, Edgar Barrios, Kyle Hanas, Elliot MacMillan, and Peter Yurkowski designed an interactive ordering solution for casual eating establishments, a project sponsored by Johnny Rockets, "The Original Hamburger," establishment in Hoboken, NJ. Their solution to inefficiency between front-end service and back-end management functions at restaurants that capitalize on maximizing table turnover? They designed a system that includes utilizing Apple iPads with the "Easy Pay Touch" hardware, docking stations, iOS mboile operating system software that integrates with the restaurant's POS system, and an administrative Web page. 

Essentially, they put touch-screen devices in the hands of customers, allowing them to choose and submit their orders directly to a ticketing system, generate and manage their bills, request server assistance, and split bills easily - decreasing time and error that would otherwise impede flow of service and, essentially, profits for the restaurant.

One of the groups, TEACHINS-U, worked to develop a therapeutic device for autistic children. Designed in two phases, a training phase then a hands-on phase, the acronym stands for Training and Educating Autistic Children to Help Improve Necessary Skills Unit. The Mechanical Engineering team has been receiving very positive and enthusiastic feedback to the device, according to group member Jeff Pass.

 

An Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) group created The Digital Wall Calendar, a device which will utilize a calendar-based operating system for organizing plans, meetings, and other scheduled events. They also intend for it to incorporate a custom photo feature to replicate the novelty of a traditional wall calendar.

 

The team members report that the project development was a lot smoother than they originally thought. They were able to utilize their time throughout the entire Senior Design process, completing the research early on, which made putting the final product together even easier. The team also published a QR code on their poster, drawing smart phone users to a website explaining their project. 

 

CADeyes, a Stevens Start-up company, is an advanced mobile mapping system designed to create dimensionalized site and contour maps, and as-built drawings of both the exterior and interior of building structures. The company tasked a Mechanical Engineering group with developing a mobile indoor-scanning platform for 3-dimensional mapping and visualization.

 

“We are really pleased with the way the CADeyes IntelliScan turned out,” said Ravi Javia. “The device is exactly what we expected it to be. CADeyes didn’t have a system for indoor scanning yet, so this is just what they wanted. Our group created something that delivered to their exact specifications.”

 

An Engineering Management group stayed close to Stevens for their project, working with the Athletics department on their website. They developed a highlights video package for Athletics events that would create a more interactive website experience.

 

Their display was a colorful, interactive board, complete with streaming video. Gene Kang stated that the board replicated exactly what they intend the website to look like beginning next year. Attila the Duck, Stevens’ mascot, hung out with the group at the Expo.

 

“We’re getting a lot of attention today,” said Kang. “But I think that’s because of Attila!”

 

Margaret Przeszlo, an ECE major, and her partner Kevin Fuhrman, worked on a project entitled Facemask. At the Expo, she stated: “Everything worked out so well! Last week our system crashed and we were afraid we wouldn’t have anything to show but we were able to work the glitches out. I guess that’s what Senior Design is all about, right? Real-life, real-working challenges – and finding solutions.”

 

That sentiment is definitely a recurring theme among the students.

 

"The hands-on Senior Design process is very helpful," says Biomedical Engineering student Dalia Shendi, whose "Heat Wave" Senior Design team created a portable device to re-warm patients suffering from hypothermia, with applications for both the U.S. Army and New Jersey Physicians. "Before Stevens, I had little real experience, and now I know I can research a problem, look at the market for a product, and build and test a successful prototype."

 

Meet Stevens' New Student Government Leaders

Fast-approaching the 100^th senate of Stevens’ Student Government Association (SGA), Nick Catania and Abhay Sampath take the helm as newly elected (2011-2012) president and vice president, respectively.  Assuming top position on their agenda is a concerted effort to increase the already robust and diverse representation of clubs and organizations on campus - something that makes Stevens distinct. They aim to position the SGA as a central point of information for extracurricular activities and inspire students to come up with ways to make the Stevens experience even better.

“With almost 100 student-run organizations on campus, there are so many ways to get involved.  You can join media organizations, ethnic and professional societies, sports, Greek life, and so much more.  Students are always starting new clubs and finding new ways to explore their interest," Catania said.  "The funds for these organizations are in the hands of students, and everyone is determined to be successful. There is clearly a great advantage for students here.”

Both Catania and Sampath will be entering their final year as Stevens undergraduates, and they are very excited to be holding their new leadership positions.   These are students who have taken full advantage of opportunities for student involvement at Stevens.  Catania is a double major – engineering physics and music & technology (with a concentration in music composition).  He is also a member of Gear and Triangle, Stevens Jazz Band, Stevens Dramatic Society, and he was on the winning team of the Northeast Regional Ethics Bowl.  Sampath is a Stevens Scholar who will earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering when he graduates in 2012.  He is a former member of the Stevens Honor Board and a member of a number of extracurricular clubs. In addition, this past fall semester (2010), he studied abroad at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

“My study abroad experience was amazing,” Sampath said. “It was one of those college experiences that gets you out of your comfort zone and opens your eyes to different environments, outside of what you learn in the classroom.  This was the first time I had the opportunity to experience new cultures and travel to such remarkable destinations as Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Indonesia. I’m happy that Stevens was able to connect me to other parts of the world.”

With most of their undergrad years behind them, Catania - a graduate of Marlboro High School (Marlboro, NY) - and Sampath - a graduate of Middlesex County Academy (Edison, NJ) - look back on their transformation and credit Stevens with helping them become campus leaders.  Stevens’ close-knit community engages students in ways other larger universities cannot.  They say everyone at Stevens is motivated to work together, take on new challenges and make things happen.

Their message to incoming freshmen?  Take advantage of the available opportunities to get involved.  Freshmen, for example, eager to take on new leadership roles, can run for the SGA Senate positions early on in their first semester.  And Pre-Orientation is a great way to be introduced into the community before the school year begins.  It helps many students get a jump start on making new friends and building relations that will last through, and well-beyond, their careers at Stevens.  “We can’t wait to see you at Stevens this fall, and we’re looking forward to getting you started on your new adventure!” Catania said.

Summer Research for Stevens Scholars

This past summer, nearly 80 students conducted research at Stevens and abroad as part of the Stevens Scholars Program, and each had a chance to showcase and discuss their work on Wednesday, October 13, in the Babbio Center at a poster exhibit and reception to celebrate their accomplishments. 

Scholars Program summer research projects are diverse in topic and scope. Commonly, though, all the projects allow students to apply their engineering and scientific training to design and research, an attractive challenge to students eager for experience beyond the classroom.  Sophomores Jackson Kelly and Chris Federici were among the scholars presenting their work at the exhibit.  Their study, "Investigation of Secure Human Identification Protocols with Random Noise," was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Antonio Nicolosi and, in layman's terms, involves designing the code and interface for a more secure way of utilizing usernames and passwords - while still maintaining ease of use for consumers.  Both Chris and Jackson are pursuing degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics and said they appreciate the opportunity to conduct hands-on, cutting edge research.  "The coursework is one thing," Jackson said. "But it's this kind of research opportunitiy that allows us to explore new territories - to take part in real-world problem solving."

Incoming freshmen were invited to attend the showcase, which, for them, is a chance to be inspired by and consider participation in such student-driven research as quantum cryptography, bone regeneration, neural tissue engineering, a novel approach to overcome the drug resistance of cancer cells, understanding social networks psychology of movement in video games, indoor geolocation technology, passive solar house technology, applications of energy harvesting for micro/nano robotics, and more. 

"The Stevens Scholars Program provides our best students the opportunity to conduct research within a wide range of topics during the summer," said Dr. Edward Whittaker, professor of physics and engineering physics in the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr School of Engineering & Science and director of the Stevens Scholars Program. "Students work closely with a faculty member and present their research not only at annual poster sessions but also in leading research journals."

Stevens Scholars are typically high-acieving students with strong interest in and dedication to their areas of study.  Strong candidates are invited by faculty to apply for the program. And once admitted, student scholars must maintain a minimum 3.2 GPA at Stevens. In addition to summer research - or additional summer coursework - Stevens scholars can earn a combined B.E/M.E, B.E./M.S., or B.S./M.S. degree in just four years and accelerate their programs of study to earn B.A., B.E. or B.S. degrees in three years. Over a dozen students from the Class of 2010 graduated with dual degrees earned through participation in the Scholars Program, Dr. Whittaker said.

Stevens Professor in the News

Last month, the Stevens community had a front-row seat to the heroic landing and subsequent rescue of US Airways Flight 1549. However, for Professor Alan F. Blumberg , there was more to do than just witness this event.

Dr. Blumberg, director of the Center for Maritime Systems, monitors water conditions around New York City, and realized right away that he could assist rescue workers with his knowledge of water currents and the way they transport an object.

This weekend, The New York Times ran an article on Professor Blumberg and how he was able to aid rescue efforts for what has become known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.” Check out the article here.

Stevens Celebrates Inauguration 2009

On Tuesday, people from all over the world will converge in Washington, D.C., witness on television and follow coverage online, as Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. To prepare for the momentous event, Stevens students share their thoughts on Obama and the future of our country over the next four years.

Jill Deutsch (ChemBio/Accelerated Pre-Med ‘09/’10)
“I am very hopeful that he will pull the country out of the mess it’s currently in!”

Charles Steiner (Electrical Engineering, ’12)
“We chose the best option for us. Obama is by far the best option and he’ll bring a lot of positive change. I’m very hopeful.”

David Gordon (Mechanical Engineering, ’12)
“I am hopeful.”

  

Abhay Sampath (Electrical Engineering/Computer Science, ’12)
“I wasn’t old enough to vote in this election, but I think it started off strong with a lot of choices. I think the youth in the Northeast were hoping for Obama. I’ve been an Obama supporter but I think the media had a lot to do with it. McCain’s age and Palin’s experience were exploited, for example depictions like Saturday Night Live took away from them. But I’m hopeful for the next four years and I hope America embraces Obama.”

Chris Coppola (Mechanical Engineering, ’12)
“I agree with Abhay, I hope Obama is fully accepted. I was very happy and proud to be a part of this historical election.”

Tatiana Green (Biomedical Engineering, ’12)
“I’m a bleeding heart liberal so I am very excited.”

Tabitha Gorena (Art & Technology, ’12)
“The idea of hope is associated with Obama. We haven’t had that in awhile with a president.”

Anonymous (ChemBio, ’12)
“This is the first election I’ve been able to vote. I don’t think I really paid attention before and it is so different when you can be a part of it. I’ve never felt this way about an election before and the night that Obama was announced as our next President, it was an incredible experience. I hope he does what he says he’ll do.”

 Danielle Sack (Biomedical Engineering, ’11)
“I’m a bit nervous because I’m more conservative, but I’m excited for a new change.”

On-campus events are planned for Tuesday, including a live screening of the Inauguration in Jacobus Student Center. Additionally, all televisions in Pierce Dining Hall will be tuned to coverage of the events in D.C.