History

The Edmund A. Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences began in 1958 as the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences with three departments—mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and chemical engineering. Today, the Hajim School encompasses six academic departments and enrolls more than 1,400 undergraduate students and more than 600 graduate students, taught by about 140 tenure-track, non-tenure-track, instructional, and research faculty.

In addition to the information below, you can also read a brief history of the University of Rochester.

Leadership

Eight deans have led the school since its inception:

Headshot of John Graham.

John W. Graham Jr.

1959-1966

Headshot of Robert Loewy.

Robert G. Loewy

1967-1974

Headshot of Brian Thompson.

Brian J. Thompson

1975-1984

Headshot of Bruce Arden.

Bruce W. Arden

1986-1994

Headshot of Duncan Moore.

Duncan T. Moore

1995-1997

Headshot of Kevin Parker.

Kevin J. Parker

1998-2008

Headshot of Rob Clark.

Robert L. Clark

2008-2016

Headshot of Wendi Heinzelman.

Wendi B. Heinzelman

2016-present

Message from the Dean

Meet Dean Heinzelman and learn about her vision for the Hajim School.

Our Namesake

Edmund A. Hajim

In 2009, the school was officially renamed after one of the school’s most distinguished alumni. Edmund A. Hajim ’58 overcame a difficult childhood that included time in several orphanages to enroll at the University of Rochester, where he earned a degree in chemical engineering. He would go on to reach the pinnacle of high finance, running financial institutions with billions under his watch. As he wound down his investment business in 2008, he became chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees. Not long after his appointment, he made a transformational gift, committing $30 million to the University—the largest single donation ever made to the institution.

Read about his incredible journey and lasting impact