Engineering for impact

From its inception, Olin’s only constant has been our drive to transform how engineering is taught, learned, and perceived. We pursue this goal alongside partners—educators, innovators, and industry leaders—who share our goal to make engineering education sustainable, equitable, and accessible for all.

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A platform with covers above it held up by metal poles. The white ring lights up at night. There are people throughout the photo talking and playing ball.

STORY: Oliners Help Design Teen Oasis in a Cambridge Shade Desert

What began as an external partner project pitch in Olin’s Designing Resources for Empowerment and Making (DREAM) course, taught by Amon Millner, professor of computing and innovation, became a broad, community-supported customizable structure for providing shade for local teens during the scorching heat of summer in the city.

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STORY: Two Olin Students Tackle Tech for the Greater Good through Impact Technology Fellowship

This six-week program is run through the Public Interest Technology New England (PIT-NE) Summer Institute.

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NEWS: Olin Earns Top Rankings From Forbes and Niche

Olin College of Engineering has earned several notable rankings from Forbes and Niche for their 2026 college lists.

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Gillian Epstein speaks to Summer Studio attendees.

STORY: Global Attendees Help Make Summer Studio 2025 an International Success

40+ participants from El Salvador, China, and Ukraine convened to work on educational design projects.

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Oliners gather around the robot at the RAI Institute.

STORY: Oliners Help Host Free, Interactive Robot Lab in Cambridge

This summer, the RAI Institute Robot Lab at the CambridgeSide mall offered the public the chance to drive a robot.

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Olin College student researchers demonstrate their reprogrammable user interface prototypes that support early detection of hearing loss in children.

STORY: Student Researchers Expand Access to Early Hearing Loss Detection with Smart Design

Student researchers at Olin College worked this summer with faculty from Olin and Boston College to develop new user interface prototypes that support early detection of hearing loss in children - improving access to care around the world.

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Three students stand around their final project.

STORY: Oliners Envision a Positive Future in “Farfetching” Design Course

This spring, an experimental design studio course called “Farfetching” encouraged Olin students to bring their creativity, design and fabrication skills, and optimism to speculate about the future.

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Two students work with wood in the Miller Academic Center (MAC).

STORY: Generous Gift Enables Expansion of Olin’s Wood Shop

The Cernosia Family Wood Shop, scheduled to open in September, will expand the size, equipment and campus access of Olin’s woodworking space.

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Jonathan Adler poses next to a thought bubble sculpture in a field.

STORY: Jonathan Adler featured on Podcast, Proxy with Yowei Shaw

In the most recent episode of Proxy, Jonathan Adler, professor of psychology, discusses narrative identity to help Yowei Shaw's guest embrace her inner monologue.

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Olin College of Engineering President R. May Lee, visionary entrepreneur and education leader, stands with her hands folded.

NEWS: R. May Lee, Visionary Entrepreneur and Education Leader, Named Olin College of Engineering President

The Olin College of Engineering (Needham, Mass.) Board of Trustees have announced the unanimous appointment of R. May Lee as the third President of the College.

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Olin College campus shown in early spring.

NEWS: Olin College Awarded Grant from the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University

Erhardt Graeff, associate professor of social and computer science, and Andrea Cuadra ’13, assistant professor of computer science, have been awarded

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Biomimicry Nature Laboratory Trip - students looking at bones, plants, and other items from Nature

STORY: “Biomimicry” Course Helps Engineers Draw Inspiration from Nature

Students in Olin’s “Biomimicry” course are learning how drawing insights from nature can help them become better and more sustainable designers and engineers.

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Deep Sea Research Expedition - researchers working on the device on ship

STORY: A New Depth to Hands-On Learning: Oliners & WHOI Embark on 4-Week Deep-Sea Research Expedition

In January, Victoria Preston ’16 and Solomiia Kachur ’25 boarded the R/V Atlantis and departed from San Diego, California, where they traveled south roughly 1,800 miles to a segment of the East Pacific Rise.

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STORY: Oliners Collaborate with Local Senior Center on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) Innovations

Andrea Cuadra '13 and her students are working on technological interfaces that integrate the needs and preferences of older adults.

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Members of the Olin College Automated Farming Drone research team are shown on the Oval in front of the Miller Academic Center.

NEWS: Students Developing Automated Drone to Measure Soil Quality on Farms

Oliners in the lab of Kenechukwu Mbanisi, assistant professor of robotics engineering, are continuing their work in agricultural robotics by developing an automated drone that can help farmers better and more effectively measure and monitor their soil health.

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Picture of Campus during the Fall with people walking around

NEWS: Olin College and Kyiv School of Economics announce partnership to develop transformative engineering education in Ukraine

Olin College of Engineering announces a multi-year intensive partnership with Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) to support the launch of a new undergraduate engineering program in Ukraine.