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Fall 2022

WELCOME FROM THE DEAN

JoAnn Lighty Splash

As we continue with our College of Engineering 25th Anniversary, we celebrate our success –a true testament to not only our students, faculty, staff, and alumni, but to our university and community as well.

With the support and demand for the next generation of engineers, computer scientists, and construction professionals, we have built an environment where all can succeed and this Spotlight focuses on several student success stories in research and academics. From national competition wins to national fellowships, our students represent the best across all levels of education and research at Boise State.
Boise State University had a monumental year in 2021-2022, where project awards totaled a record-breaking $68 million and nearly 26,000 donors contributed a record-breaking $56.5 million in donations. I am proud of the contributions the College of Engineering provided to the university, as we also saw a record-breaking year for project awards totaling $16.5 million, accounting for nearly a quarter of all sponsored projects. Over the last five years, our research has nearly tripled from $6 million back in 2017-2018.

This year we also announced our Blueprint For Success strategic plan. Over the next five years, we intend to strengthen our culture of innovation and impact by positively advancing students, faculty, staff, our educational community, industry, government and non-profit organizations, Idaho and Idahoans, and more.

We follow the unique Boise State mindset –Blue Turf Thinking –as we empower all to think critically and solve our world’s complex challenges to envision a better future through new approaches to research and service. Our plan is a collaborative and data-driven plan to become a student-success driven college recognized for teaching and scholarship with statewide and global impact.
I am excited to be leading Idaho’s largest and top-ranked college

of engineering. We have accomplished so much in just 25 short years, and there has never been a better time to be a College of Engineering student in Idaho than today. With the support from legislature, industry partners, and our amazing alumni base, we continue our upward trajectory growing in every aspect of our mission. New state-of-the-art facilities, new curricula, and a plan for the future will allow us to carry forward and serve as the next generation of leaders for our city, state, and country.
Go Broncos!

JoAnn S. Lighty, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Engineering
Professor, Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering

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Fall 2009 – 2020

For older issues of the COEN Spotlight Newsletter please contact Michele Armstrong or Jamie Fink