School Notes: School of Engineering & Applied Science
July/August 2024

Dean reappointed

Jeffrey Brock ’92, the Zhao and Ji Professor of Mathematics, was reappointed for a second term as dean of the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science. President Peter Salovey said the reappointment recognizes Brock’s success in advancing the school’s strategic vision, deepening interdisciplinary research priorities, and optimizing organizational structures for partnership and impact. Brock has overseen the implementation of historic university investments at Yale Engineering, which began operating as an autonomous school with a distinct faculty in July 2022. Part of a broader effort to strengthen science and engineering, these investments will provide for the hiring of more than 30 new faculty positions and revitalize the school’s physical infrastructure.

Introducing the Tech Tank

The Tech Tank—a one-of-a-kind facility for testing amphibious robots, marine observation devices, and other water-based technologies—officially opened for operation in May. Housed in a former warehouse at Yale’s West Campus, the 20,000-gallon tank features a wave generator, a moveable mesh ramp, and climate control. It’s 40 feet long, 10 feet wide, and the water is six feet deep. Although the tank is managed by Yale Engineering, it is open to researchers in all fields, both at Yale and beyond. The tank is the latest development in Yale Engineering’s commitment to robotics, an initiative that has doubled the number of faculty focusing on robotics at the school. View a photo of the tank. 

Professor honored by the state

Menachem Elimelech, the Sterling Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Yale, was awarded the Connecticut Medal of Technology, the state’s highest honor for technological achievement. The award was announced by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. Elimelech, a leading international authority on water filtration, was recognized for his pioneering developments of energy-efficient, sustainable membrane-based technologies for desalination, and the management of brines and industrial wastewaters. Connecticut governor Ned Lamont ’80MBA said Elimelech’s work illustrates the state’s role as a global technology leader.