Cornell University College of Engineering

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"Cornell Engineering" redirects here. For the library, see Cornell Engineering Library.
David A. Duffield College of Engineering
Former name
Sibley College of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanic Arts (1870–1919)
College of Engineering (1919–2026)
TypePrivate engineering school
Established1870
DeanLynden A. Archer
Location
Ithaca, New York
,
USA
Websiteduffield.cornell.edu
Map

The Cornell University College of Engineering (formally the David A. Duffield College of Engineering) is the engineering school of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, United States. It was founded in 1870 as the Sibley College of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanic Arts.

It currently grants bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in a variety of engineering and applied science fields.

History

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Sibley College and the Foundry, ca 1890
Cassier's Magazine, December 1891, featured an article about the college, including this photo from the blacksmith shop.
On the left, the shield of the Cornell College of Engineering as seen at the entrance of Willard Straight Hall. On the right, the banner of the Cornell College of Engineering used at commencement ceremonies.

The College of Engineering was founded in 1870 as the Sibley College of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanic Arts. The program was originally housed in Sibley Hall on what has since become the Arts Quad, both of which are named for Hiram Sibley, the original benefactor whose contributions were used to establish the program. The college was renamed the College of Engineering in 1919 when the Sibley College merged with the College of Civil Engineering. It was housed in Sibley, Lincoln, Franklin, Rand, and Morse Halls.[citation needed]

Kate Gleason, Cornell's first female mechanical engineering student, matriculated in 1884, and later became the first woman elected to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.[1]

On January 22, 2026, Cornell University announced that the College of Engineering would be renamed the "David A. Duffield College of Engineering" in recognition of alumnus David A. Duffield (BS 1962; MBA 1964) following his cumulative US$520 million in donations to the university.[2]

Departments

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150 years of the Sibley School

The College of Engineering comprises 12 academic departments and department-level schools:[3]

  • School of Applied and Engineering Physics
  • Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering
  • Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering
  • Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
  • School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Department of Computer Science
  • Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
  • School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Department of Materials Science and Engineering
  • Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • School of Operations Research and Information Engineering
  • Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
  • Department of Systems Engineering

The Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (originally known as the Sibley College of the Mechanic Arts, and located in East Sibley Hall) awarded its first four-year Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree in 1874.[4]

The College of Engineering is ranked 12th nationally in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report.[5]

Engineering Quadrangle

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1. Carpenter Hall
2. Duffield Hall
3. Phillips Hall
4. Bill & Melinda Gates Hall
5. Upson Hall
6. Kimball Hall
7. Thurston Hall
8. Bard Hall
9. Hollister Hall
10. Snee Hall
11. Ward Center
12. Grumman Hall
13. Frank H.T. Rhodes Hall

The Engineering Quad was designed in the 1940s and 1950s on a site previously occupied by the Old Armory and faculty housing, using a master plan developed by the Perkins and Will firm. It has undergone major changes in recent years, particularly with the completion of Duffield Hall. In 2004, relandscaping with a design inspired by Cascadilla Gorge was completed and its landmark sundial was restored to its rightful place on the quad (after having been stored in Upson Hall during the construction period).[6]

In 2017, a US$74.5 million renovation was completed for Upson Hall, completely revamping the building with work-friendly floors and a modern lounge. Also, modern and open collaborative working spaces were introduced with the construction of a large atrium connecting Duffield, which houses research and teaching facilities for nanoscale science and engineering, with Phillips and Upson (1956)[7] Halls. Connected to Upson Hall, away from the quad, are Grumman Hall (1957)[8] and Frank H. T. Rhodes Hall (1990),[9] which currently houses the Cornell Theory Center.

On the southern end of the Quad, next to Upson Hall and near Cascadilla Creek, are Kimball Hall, Thurston Hall[10] and Bard Hall(1963)[11] Hall, all part of a single brick and concrete structure. Thurston is the home to the Theoretical and Applied Mechanics department, and Bard Hall the home of the Material Sciences department. Between Upson and Kimball stands Ward Hall (1963),[10] the soon to be closed down and former building for nuclear sciences. Next to Bard, and across the street from the Cornell Law School, stand Snee Hall (1984)[12] and Hollister Hall (1957).[13] Carpenter Hall (1956),[14] containing the Engineering Library, stands next to Hollister on the northwestern corner. It is one of the smallest buildings on campus and the site of a protracted anti-war building occupation in 1972. The edge of northern face of the quad, mostly open space, is lined with trees along Campus Road. Across Campus Road is Franklin W. Olin Jr. Hall (1942), home of the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.[15]

The most recently constructed engineering building is Bill and Melinda Gates Hall which opened in 2014. The building, funded in part by a $25 million gift from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is located across Campus Road from Barton Hall and east of Phillips Hall, across Hoy Road, on the site of a parking lot for Hoy Field and Grumman Squash Courts. The building is home to the Department of Computer Science, previously located in Upson Hall, and the Department of Information Science, formerly located off campus. The 100,000 square foot building was designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Thom Mayne. The budgeted cost of the building was $60 million and was funded entirely from outside sources without the need for any additional debt. Gates Hall is LEED Certified Gold.[16][17][18] Occupancy of the building began in early 2014. The building was dedicated by Bill Gates on October 1st, 2014.[19][20]

  • Philips Hall
    Philips Hall
  • Upson Hall
    Upson Hall
  • Duffield Hall
    Duffield Hall
  • Carpenter Hall
    Carpenter Hall
  • Franklin W. Olin Jr. Hall
    Franklin W. Olin Jr. Hall
  • Frank H. T. Rhodes Hall
    Frank H. T. Rhodes Hall
  • Bill & Melinda Gates Hall
    Bill & Melinda Gates Hall
  • Weill Hall
    Weill Hall
  • Physical Sciences building
    Physical Sciences building

References

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  1. ^ Wilensky, Joe (April 12, 2024). "150 Years of Mechanical Engineering on the Hill: Fascinating Facts". Cornell University. Archived from the original on June 2, 2024. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  2. ^ Hamilton, Reeve (January 22, 2026). "Largest gift in university history names Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering". Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  3. ^ "Cornell Engineering: Departments and Schools". Cornell Engineering. Retrieved July 6, 2006.
  4. ^ "Sibley School celebrates 150 years of mechanical engineering at Cornell". Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Cornell Engineering. March 15, 2023. Archived from the original on June 2, 2024. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  5. ^ "Best Engineering Schools".
  6. ^ "Duffield Hall, landscaping project to give Engineering Quad new look". Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved July 6, 2006.
  7. ^ "2045-UPSON HALL – Facility Information". Fs.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on September 8, 2006. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  8. ^ "2043-GRUMMAN HALL – Facility Information". Fs.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  9. ^ "2051-FRANK H T RHODES HALL – Facility Information". Fs.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  10. ^ a b "2037-KIMBALL / THURSTON COMPLEX – Facility Information". Fs.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  11. ^ "2070-BARD HALL – Facility Information". Fs.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  12. ^ "2049-SNEE HALL GEOLOGICAL SCIENCE – Facility Information". Fs.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  13. ^ "2046-HOLLISTER HALL – Facility Information". Fs.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  14. ^ "2042-CARPENTER HALL – Facility Information". Fs.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on September 8, 2006. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  15. ^ "2024-OLIN HALL – Facility Information". Fs.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  16. ^ "Home | Cornell Chronicle".
  17. ^ "Cornell University - Information Science - Gates Hall". Archived from the original on May 1, 2012.
  18. ^ "Bill & Melinda Gates Hall | Sustainable Campus". sustainablecampus.cornell.edu. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  19. ^ "Home | Cornell Chronicle".
  20. ^ "Bill Gates Dedicates New Computer and Information Science Building". Bill Gates Dedicates New Computer and Information Science Building - The Cornell Daily Sun. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
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