1890-1917 Washington State Agricultural College and School of Science chartered, with “mechanic arts” as the name of the mechanical engineering program. The first engineering building, Mechanical Hall, is constructed, and the school has its first engineering graduates: Orin Hector Stratton, Carl Estby, civil engineering. First woman engineering graduate is Mabel Lambert Taylor, mechanical engineering. College of Mechanic Arts and Engineering established with Hubert V. Carpenter as dean. Architecture, civil engineering, chemical engineering, and agricultural engineering get underway.
1919- 1941 The Engineering Experiment Station is established to perform applied research, the results to be communicated regularly to the profession; Homer Dana (’15, electrical engineering) begins his career at the university. An ‘engines and tractors laboratory’ is established in Mechanical Engineering Shops Complex. Program in materials science and engineering gets underway, and the Mining Experiment Station established.
1942—1955 After the death of Carpenter, Royal D. Sloan becomes dean. Division of Industrial Research established, absorbing the Mining Experiment Station and the Engineering Experiment Station; Advisory Board established. Washington State Institute of Technology established by state Legislature in Pullman, with William A. Pearl as director. It incorporated the previously independent Division of Industrial Research, College of Engineering, and School of Mines, and its purpose was to diversify the state’s faltering resource-based economy. Construction of Smith Agricultural Engineering Building. Physical metallurgy program established.
1956- 1969 J. P. Spielman becomes dean. State College becomes Washington State University. Homer Dana and Royal Sloan retire. Ph. D. in engineering science approved. First Ph.D. awarded to David Comer, electrical engineering. By1968, the last mining program phased out, and the Mining Experiment Station closed.
1970-1983 Carl Hall becomes dean. First degree in geological engineering awarded. Computer engineering program starts, electrical engineering adds “computer” to the department name. Hall resigns to become deputy assistant director of engineering for the National Science Foundation.
1984—1994 Reid C. Miller becomes dean. First electrical engineering degree awarded with computer option; WSU celebrates its centennial. School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science created, with Yacov Shamash as director. Architecture design studio officially established at WSU Spokane. Carpenter Hall reopens as the home of the School of Architecture after four years of extensive remodeling. College helps university develop “virtual education” prototypes and information technology, such as interactive texts, networking, imaging, animation, code compression, multi-media authoring and other such distance learning efforts.
1995-1997 Dean Robert A. Altenkirch succeeds Reid Miller as College head. Final-year construction management and architecture students move into new Interdisciplinary Design Institute at Spokane’s Riverpoint Higher Education Park. Engineering Teaching and Research Facility built and occupied. New programs added: BS Computer Engineering, BS Manufacturing Engineering.
1998-2005 Anjan Bose becomes Dean for College of Engineering and Architecture. First WSU engineering summer camp for Native American youth held. Engineering Life Sciences building constructed at WSU-Vancouver. School of Architecture and Construction Management establishes Master of Architecture degree as its professional degree. Program in bioengineering established. Dean Anjan Bose named to the National Academy of Engineering. Construction management moves from a five-year to four-year degree program. Program in bioengineering joins with department of chemical engineering to form School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering. Bioengineering Research Center established. Hoping to better prepare students for a global workplace, college establishes Center for Entrepreneurship with College of Business.
1919- 1941 The Engineering Experiment Station is established to perform applied research, the results to be communicated regularly to the profession; Homer Dana (’15, electrical engineering) begins his career at the university. An ‘engines and tractors laboratory’ is established in Mechanical Engineering Shops Complex. Program in materials science and engineering gets underway, and the Mining Experiment Station established.
1942—1955 After the death of Carpenter, Royal D. Sloan becomes dean. Division of Industrial Research established, absorbing the Mining Experiment Station and the Engineering Experiment Station; Advisory Board established. Washington State Institute of Technology established by state Legislature in Pullman, with William A. Pearl as director. It incorporated the previously independent Division of Industrial Research, College of Engineering, and School of Mines, and its purpose was to diversify the state’s faltering resource-based economy. Construction of Smith Agricultural Engineering Building. Physical metallurgy program established.
1956- 1969 J. P. Spielman becomes dean. State College becomes Washington State University. Homer Dana and Royal Sloan retire. Ph. D. in engineering science approved. First Ph.D. awarded to David Comer, electrical engineering. By1968, the last mining program phased out, and the Mining Experiment Station closed.
1970-1983 Carl Hall becomes dean. First degree in geological engineering awarded. Computer engineering program starts, electrical engineering adds “computer” to the department name. Hall resigns to become deputy assistant director of engineering for the National Science Foundation.
1984—1994 Reid C. Miller becomes dean. First electrical engineering degree awarded with computer option; WSU celebrates its centennial. School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science created, with Yacov Shamash as director. Architecture design studio officially established at WSU Spokane. Carpenter Hall reopens as the home of the School of Architecture after four years of extensive remodeling. College helps university develop “virtual education” prototypes and information technology, such as interactive texts, networking, imaging, animation, code compression, multi-media authoring and other such distance learning efforts.
1995-1997 Dean Robert A. Altenkirch succeeds Reid Miller as College head. Final-year construction management and architecture students move into new Interdisciplinary Design Institute at Spokane’s Riverpoint Higher Education Park. Engineering Teaching and Research Facility built and occupied. New programs added: BS Computer Engineering, BS Manufacturing Engineering.
1998-2005 Anjan Bose becomes Dean for College of Engineering and Architecture. First WSU engineering summer camp for Native American youth held. Engineering Life Sciences building constructed at WSU-Vancouver. School of Architecture and Construction Management establishes Master of Architecture degree as its professional degree. Program in bioengineering established. Dean Anjan Bose named to the National Academy of Engineering. Construction management moves from a five-year to four-year degree program. Program in bioengineering joins with department of chemical engineering to form School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering. Bioengineering Research Center established. Hoping to better prepare students for a global workplace, college establishes Center for Entrepreneurship with College of Business.