One of the most productive public research universities in the nation, Clemson University operates Extension offices in every South Carolina county and has five innovation campuses and six Research and Education Center locations statewide. Through the research, outreach, and entrepreneurial projects led by faculty and students, Clemson University is driving economic development and improving quality of life in South Carolina and beyond.

Our new strategic plan, Clemson Elevate, adds emerging and divergent areas of strength and focus. Fifteen key focus areas meld Clemson’s strengths with bold aspirations and opportunities for the University’s next chapter.

CECAS
Our mission in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences (CECAS) is to create future graduates who can be productive in a global economy. Because today’s global citizen is expected to have experience beyond their primary discipline, our academic structure encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration. Engineering, computing and applied sciences represent independent degree programs that stand united in contributing to the overall success of the college. In addition, we provide a number of experiential learning opportunities that require students to transfer academic knowledge and experience from the classroom to real-world work environments.

Our vision is to create engineers and scientists who are critical thinkers, entrepreneurs and innovators who understand the social and business implications of their work. When attracting new and retaining existing talent, we should seek out individuals who are able to communicate their ideas coherently and work effectively in teams. Above all, the college provides leadership that works toward solving society’s big problems.

Why We're In KEEN
Our college’s strategic plan states that: “Undergraduates and graduate students benefit from our unique, integrated engineering, computing and science structure and world-class STEM experiences. Our exceptional faculty provide research opportunities integrated within the curriculum, global engagement programs, and community- and service-learning programs, all focused on ensuring student success both at the University and beyond.”

We acknowledge that many of today’s problems are too complicated for any singular entity to solve alone, and future success will depend upon continual innovation. We must develop not only innovative technologies and curricula but also partnerships that support idea generation. Our college is committed to creating an organizational and leadership culture for innovation and collaboration. As a land-grant university, we are uniquely positioned both strategically and geographically to assume a leadership role to develop such innovative partnerships in our state and the entire region.

Therefore, there is high alignment between the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Science’s goals and that of the KEEN mission. Our faculty and staff are committed to having our students create personal, economic, and societal value throughout their Clemson experience.

Current Work

• Clemson has just begun the initial stages of its new strategic plan, Clemson Elevate. There are three main pillars to this plan, with the first dedicated to creating the #1 student experience. The plan is committed to expanding the curriculum for leadership, innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Key goals are set for expanding experiential learning and developing our students’ entrepreneurial mindset.


• The Clemson University Faculty Senate recently revised the Faculty Manual to expand how faculty were being evaluated for teaching effectiveness. This revision has made being a member of KEEN extremely valuable, because it provides our faculty with another method to document effectiveness. They will be able to adopt best practices for teaching the entrepreneurial mindset, while also generating cards of outcomes from their courses to share with the larger network.


• After a focused review on the first-year student experience, the College has been working toward a common first-year curriculum with two tracks (either a chemistry or a design focus). Additionally, after surveying instructors of upper-level courses, we are modifying the content of first-year engineering courses to better prepare the students for subsequent courses in their major. This gives us an opportunity for better incorporation of the 3Cs into our curriculum.


• A new minor in Engineering Leadership includes new courses focused on leadership topics such as self-reflection, identifying personal strengths, developing emotional intelligence, and approaches to team management.


• A new cross-disciplinary capstone course was just approved, which allows for students to satisfy their senior design requirement through projects that have multiple disciplines working collectively. This course design emulates current practices found in industry.