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DEAN’S PERSPECTIVEThis year is poised to be a watershed year for the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology (ECST). Our enrollment has doubled over the past ive years. Three new faculty members joined us in fall 2014, and we will welcome six new faculty members for fall 2015. In the same time frame, ive faculty members joined the ranks of the retired, and we thank them for their service to ECST and the University.Our faculty continues to conduct leading-edge research in a variety of ields, from criminalistics and biomechanics to improving earthquake resilience and water and soil quality, to deepening our knowledge about how students learn. This year, we are excited to announce a $1 million gift from the Gunjit S. Sikand Foundation for a faculty endowment for research on urban sustainability.Our campus continues to prepare for conversion from the quarter system to the semester system in fall 2016. Faculty and staff are devoting signiicant timeto preparing new curricula and providing student advising to ensure a smooth transition. Some new courses have emerged from this effort, including a new irst-year experience course titled “Introduction to Engineering and Technology,”a lecture/lab course with team-based, hands-on projects that introduce freshmen to design and to the various majors in the College. The course has an ocean theme, consistent with L.A.’s coastal dependence, and students will design, build, and test unmanned underwater rovers. You can read all about this new course and the related Chancellor’s Ofice grant in this issue.ECST is committed to consistently updating its methods of teaching to best serve our students. Inside, we highlight faculty projects that engage students with new pedagogies, including collaborative problem-based learning, multi-campus game design, and an experimental integrated sophomore year curriculum.Our student teams continue to shine, from EcoCAR 3 and Formula SAE to the GeoWall, Westec, and Concrete Canoe, traveling all over the country to test them- selves and their designs in stiff peer competitions. Our Professional Practice Program also continues strong, with 25 industry-sponsored senior design projects offered this year. You’re invited to join us for the Senior Project Expo on May 29, 2015!On February 2, 2015, the campus welcomed our newest provost, Dr. Lynn Mahoney, who previously served as vice provost and dean of undergraduate studies atCal State Long Beach. We are excited to see what opportunities she brings toour academic programs. Mahoney is committed to increasing collaboration on campus and reaching out to off-campus partners.Consistent with President Covino’s motto for Cal State L.A. – Engagement, Service and the Public Good – ECST continues its 50-year tradition of providing a pathway to professional careers for our students. On almost every page you can read about a recent accomplishment by one of our students or alumni. One of our goals this year is to do a better job telling our story – we don’t want to be a secret!We hope you enjoy reading ECST InSights – we are proud of our accomplishments and look forward to another year of educating the next generation, driven by our values of collaboration, integrity, discovery, inclusivity, and excellence.Emily Allen, Ph.D.Dean, College of Engineering, Computer Science, and TechnologyEmily Allen, Ph.D.InSights | 1