rpi engineering tour

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

Enrollment Guide

You are here, connect with us.

We are currently offering in-person campus tours. View available dates and times, and sign up on the  tour registration page .

A glimpse at the IBM Quantum One System is now included in all campus tours!

On Wednesdays (through May 1) at 11:30 a.m., join us for a special tour of our Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) after the general campus tour! You can sign up for this tour when you register for your general campus tour. 

Accepted Student Financial Aid Q&A Webinars

On-Campus Accepted Student Celebration

All of our on-campus accepted student events have concluded for 2024. 

Campus tours are available throughout the spring, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have - just email [email protected] .

Off-Campus Admitted Student Receptions

Join members of the Rensselaer community to learn about how you can begin your world-changing journey at Rensselaer. We look forward to seeing you in cities around the country. 

All of our off-campus accepted student events have concluded for 2024. 

Extended On-Campus Visits

Not able to attend one of our Accepted Student Celebrations? Visit us during the week to get a glimpse of life at Rensselaer! 

We are pleased to offer  accepted students  the option for a more robust campus visit. If you are interested in meeting with an academic department or connecting with a current student, please email Jeremy Martel at [email protected] . We look forward to seeing you on campus in the near future!

We will do our best to accommodate your request, but cannot guarantee department availability. If you are interested in meeting with a  varsity coach  or  ROTC representative , please reach out to them directly to schedule your appointment.

Webinars for Accepted Students

Check back regularly for updates!

School of Architecture Student Panel - Watch Webinar Recording

Dual-majors, Minors, and Pathways in the School of HASS  Webinar - Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m. EDT Register Now

School of Architecture Virtual Accepted Student Celebration - Sunday, April 28 at 4 p.m. EDT Register Now

Check back for updates!

Industrial and Systems Engineering Webinar -  Watch Webinar Recording

Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering Webinar -   Watch Webinar Recording

Department of Biomedical Engineering Webinar -   Watch Webinar Recording

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Webinar -   Watch Webinar Recording

Joining RPI as an Undeclared Engineer Webinar -   Watch Webinar Recording

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering Webinar  -   Watch Webinar Recording

Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering Webinar - Watch Webinar Recording

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Webinar -   Watch Webinar Recording

Lally School of Management for Engineering and Science Majors Webinar -  Watch Webinar Recording

Electronic Arts Program  Webinar -    Watch Webinar Recording: Part I  -  Part II

Science & Technology Studies and Sustainability Studies Program Webinar -    Watch Webinar Recording

Department of Economics  Student Panel Webinar -    Watch Webinar Recording

Design, Innovation, and Society Program Webinar -    Watch Webinar Recording

Music Program Webinar -   Watch Webinar Recording

Games and Simulation Arts & Sciences Program Webinar -   Watch Webinar Recording

Department of Cognitive Science Webinar -   Watch Webinar Recording

Communication & Media Department Webinar - Monday, April 29 at 7 p.m. EDT Register Now

Check back regularly for updates!

Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology Webinar -   Watch Webinar Recording  

Department of Biological Sciences Webinar - Sunday, April 14 at 4 p.m. EDT Register Now

Information Technology and Web Science Webinar  -  Watch Webinar Recording

Computer Science Webinar - Monday, May 6 at 7 p.m. EDT Register Now

Women at Rensselaer Student Panel - Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. EDT

Other Virtual Experiences for Accepted Students

There are no parent-focused webinars scheduled at this time. If your child is enrolling at Rensselaer, the Office of the First-Year Experience will be holding a number of webinars over the spring and summer that you may be interested in.

In the meantime, visit the Parents & Families website . 

Follow the RPI Admissions Instagram ( @RPIAdmissions ) to catch all of our upcoming takeovers and lives. This is a great way to get the inside scoop from those who are currently living the Rensselaer experience!

We will be offering admissions information session webinars throughout the spring.

These sessions will provide a general overview of RPI, and you'll have the opportunity to ask questions of our admissions staff!

View the available times and dates, and sign up!

You may also view a past general information session webinar on YouTube .

If you haven't already, check out our virtual campus tour ! Explore the entire campus tour, plus three mini-tours:

• Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC)
• East Campus Athletic Village (ECAV)
• Facility highlights of our five schools

Want to learn more about Rensselaer but don’t know where to start? Meet our incredible students who truly embody our motto “why not change the world?”. They come from all walks of life, are involved in a variety of extracurricular activities on campus, and represent all five schools through majors, dual majors, minors, and even our accelerated programs. Our students will be hosting a variety of webinars and one-on-one virtual meetings. You can also email our student ambassadors at [email protected] .

Experience Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Virtually explore Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in a fully immersive 360-degree experience.

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School of Engineering

It is a primary goal of the School of Engineering, and Rensselaer Polytechnic as a whole, to be the most welcoming and inclusive community we can be. We are dedicated to nurturing and sustaining a diverse living, learning, and working environment where all members feel that they belong. This effort begins before a student enrolls at RPI, which is why we are devoted to outreach in our community and region, while also working to support every person on campus. 

Learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at RPI  

Center for Initiatives in Pre-College Education (CIPCE) 

CIPCE is an official pre-college outreach arm of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. It works with K-12 students and teachers on inquiry-based approaches to teaching in the STEM disciplines, making use of engaging interactive technologies. 

Engineering Ambassadors Program

Rensselaer's Engineering Ambassadors (EA) are a group of highly motivated students focused on inspiring a younger audience to explore the role of engineers in society. EAs offer hands-on demonstrations and short presentations on engineering topics to encourage the interest of students in careers in the areas of science, technology, and engineering. 

National Manufacturing Day 

Since 2011, Rensselaer has celebrated National Manufacturing Day (NMD) to share our visions, expertise, and the many career opportunities in manufacturing engineering with high school teachers, students, and regional industry members.  

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) 

The NSBE’s mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. 

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) 

The RPI chapter of SHPE works to develop their members professionally through leadership and community outreach by creating a friendly atmosphere among members. 

Women in Engineering 

Rensselaer's women in engineering programs offer a host of opportunities for exceptional women to prepare and succeed in today's technologically advanced and culturally diverse workforce. 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Jonsson Engineering Center

110 8th Street Troy, NY 12180 USA

Staff Directory

Connect with School of Engineering

Directories and Resources

Academic & research, amos eaton hall, carnegie building, center for biotechnology and interdisciplinary studies (cbis).

Ranked among the world’s most advanced research facilities, Rensselaer’s 218,000-square-foot Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies provides the university with a state-of-the-art location to conduct interdisciplinary research and host world-class programs and symposia.

Cogswell Laboratory

Darrin communications center, empire state hall.

Empire State Hall houses the New York State Center for Polymer Synthesis at Rensselaer. It also connects the Materials Research Center and Cogswell Laboratory.

Experimental Media & Performing Arts Center (EMPAC)

The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) provides students, artists, researchers, and audiences with opportunities to link the arts with leading-edge research and performance. The 217,000-square-foot facility is designed for the highest quality in acoustics, visual presentation, production, and performance technology found nowhere else under one roof.

Folsom Library

Folsom Library, the main campus library, was dedicated in 1976 by former Rensselaer President Richard G. Folsom. With state-of-the-art electronic retrieval services and study space for over 900 students, the Folsom Library serves as Rensselaer’s central library while the Architecture Library, located in the Greene Building, supports the School of Architecture programs.

Greene Building

Home of the School of Architecture, this building has its own library, CNC shop, and a gallery for showing students’ work.

Jonsson Engineering Center (JEC)

The Jonsson Engineering Center (JEC), home to the School of Engineering , was named for J. Erik Jonsson ’22, co-founder of Texas Instruments. Each floor of the building is dedicated to a different discipline of engineering and contains many major research facilities and a large number of academic classrooms.

Jonsson-Rowland Science Center

The Jonsson-Rowland Science Center & Hirsch Observatory is home to the School of Science, holding classes and laboratories for the Departments of Biology and Physics and related disciplines. The Hirsch Observatory, on top of the building, is open to all students.

LINAC Facility (Gaerttner Laboratory)

Low center for industrial innovation (cii).

The Low Center for Industrial Innovation (CII), designed as an industrial-oriented research facility for both Rensselaer and New York state, houses three general computing labs available for student use, a manufacturing center, and clean rooms for designing computer chips.

Materials Research Center (MRC)

Twenty-five laboratories, designed in part by faculty, provide facilities for powder metallurgy, polymer, ceramics, ultrasonics, cryogenics, corrosion and other materials research.

Pittsburgh Building

One of Rensselaer’s oldest buildings transformed into a technology-intensive center for teaching and research.

The facility features four large classrooms with facilities for distance learning and a virtual trading floor for education in stock transactions and financial analysis.

Ricketts Building

Russell sage laboratory.

Russell Sage Laboratory houses computer labs, a makers space, and multimedia production labs.

Walker Laboratory

Originally constructed in 1905, this building was renovated to incorporate 21st century innovations in the teaching of chemistry.

Housing state-of-the-art wet labs along with the most advanced computer and people friendly studio classrooms, this building has been transformed into a facility for interactive learning in chemistry and related fields.

The undergraduate chemistry program has occupied this building since its construction.

West Hall is home to Rensselaer’s Arts Department, the Office of Research Administration and Finance, Real Estate Management, and the Rensselaer Credit Union.

The Rensselaer Music Association (the governing body of all musical groups at Rensselaer) is housed in West Hall, utilizing the West Hall Auditorium for group rehearsals and performances.

Winslow Building

Originally built in 1866, and the oldest building on the RPI campus, the Winslow Building is the home of the Tetherless World Constellation.

Student Life

87 gymnasium.

The ’87 Gymnasium (gift of the class of 1887) has a swimming pool, two small gymnasia, an indoor track, and racquetball and squash courts.

Academy Hall

Financial Aid, Student Life Services Center, Health Center, Bursar, and Registrar

The Student Health Center offers comprehensive, nationally accredited physician directed program providing outpatient ambulatory health care. Services include medical, gynecology, and allergy clinics, a counseling center, and health education and wellness programs.

The Dean of Students Office encompasses Judicial Affairs, Greek Affairs, Minority Student Affairs, International Services for Students and Scholars, and Disability Services for Students.

Alumni Sports & Recreation Center

The Alumni Sports & Recreation Center houses the Robison Gymnasium, which has an indoor track; a physiotherapy room; basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts on a resilient surface and locker facilities.

This building also houses the offices of the Rensselaer Physical Education and Intercollegiate Athletics, and the Reserve Office Training Corps (ROTC).

Chapel + Cultural Center

The C+CC is the home of the University Parish of Christ Sun of Justice, and provides a centrally-located focal point for cultural, spiritual and educational activities to the benefit of our home community and campus.

Commons Dining Hall

Rensselaer’s Commons Dining Hall, located at the center of the first-year residence halls, offers several dining options.

These include the popular Asian Pacifica, the Firehouse Grill, Pasta Allegro, Sage Deli, and Theme Cuisine. Other recent additions are a self-service Halal and Kosher station.

East Campus Athletic Village Arena (ECAV)

Home to the Rensselaer men's and women's basketball programs, the East Campus Arena features a performance gymnasium with seating for 1,200.  A separate practice gym is also included, as well as dedicated locker rooms for both programs.  Visiting and officials locker rooms are also included.

East Campus Athletic Village Stadium

One of the most extensive athletic construction project in the Institute's history, the complex features a multipurpose lighted stadium with field turf and seating for 5,200

Houston Field House

Located at the top of Peoples Avenue, the Houston Field House hosts the Rensselaer Hockey home games as well as figure skating, concerts, and other major events.

The main feature of the Field House is its 185-by-85 foot ice hockey rink that can be transformed into a wooden floor for a multitude of events. The building has permanent seating for 5,300 spectators.

Mueller Center

This 32,000-square-foot fitness center houses more than 40 pieces of aerobic exercise equipment, including eight treadmills, 11 elliptical cross-training machines as well as rowers, stationary bikes, steppers, and treadmills.

The facility was named the Mueller Center in recognition of a multimillion-dollar gift to the university’s unrestricted endowment from Nancy Mueller, a Rensselaer trustee. She made the contribution in honor of her late husband, Glenn M. Mueller, a former Rensselaer trustee and a 1964 graduate.

The current Playhouse, a former U.S.O. building, was moved from Windsor Locks, Connecticut to Rensselaer in 1946. The building was acquired by the Institute to accommodate a library extension, study space and social activities. The structure was placed along 15th St. and thus dubbed the 15th Street Lounge or Lounge 15. In 1972, the lounge became the RPI Playhouse.

Radio Club W2SZ

Since 1911, W2SZ has been a place where students enjoy the challenges and satisfaction of Amateur Radio.

Rensselaer Union

Robison swimming pool.

Home to the Rensselaer men's and women's swimming & diving teams, the Robison Pool features eight lanes for competitive swimming.  Additionally, the complex has multiple three-meter and one-meter diving boards.

Russell Sage Dining Hall

Russell Sage Dining Hall’s central campus location makes it the Quad’s unofficial dining hall.

Student Housing

Barton hall.

Barton Hall houses 200 freshmen and was built to meet the needs of the next generation of Rensselaer students.

Designed as an extension of the Institute’s renowned collaborative studio learning environments, Barton Hall is fully loaded for laptop and data communication.

The building offers 13 private conference rooms to support team project curricula. There is a large lounge on the fourth floor, which can also accommodate larger group meetings.

Blitman Commons

The Howard N. Blitman, P.E. ’50 Residence Commons expanded housing options for Rensselaer undergraduates while bringing approximately 300 students downtown to engage in the vibrant community of Troy. The new residence commons is situated at the bottom of the Rensselaer Approach, the century-old granite staircase that symbolizes the connection between the City of Troy and the Institute.

Burdett Avenue Residence Hall

Colonie apartments, nugent hall, polytechnic residence commons.

Polytechnic Residence Commons is apartment housing option available to students since Fall 2009. Located on the corner of 15th and Congress Streets in Troy, the complex offers studio, as well as three or four bedroom apartment options.

Quadrangle Complex

The Quadrangle Residence Hall Complex (the Quad) is situated on the main campus and is Rensselaer’s largest and oldest residence area. Built in 1919, the Quad houses 450 of the university’s upperclassmen in single, double, and triple rooms.

Rensselaer Apartment Housing Project A

Rensselaer apartment housing project b, rousseau apartments, stacwyck apartments, warren hall, williams apartments, operations & administration, 2021 15th street, 2144 burdett avenue, 41 ninth street.

The Admissions Office is conveniently located across the street from the Student Union. Here you can attend one of the regular admissions information sessions and take a student-led campus tour.

Contact Admissions to schedule a visit or to request information.

Alumni House (Heffner)

The Heffner Alumni House is a spacious and comfortable facility that houses meeting rooms, dining facilities, a library, and formal and informal gathering areas.

Blaw-Knox 1 & 2

Boiler house, 11th street, boiler house, sage avenue, graduate education, greenhouses and grounds barn, patroon manor, public safety.

The department provides 24-hour per day, 365-day response to life-safety incidents, coordinates internal and external resources to assist the management of critical incidents, and conducts awareness programs to proactively assist its community members in the maintenance of personal safety. 518-276-6611

Service Building

Troy building.

The Troy Building was constructed in 1924 for use by the Civil Engineering Department and was paid for by the city of Troy in honor of Rensselaer’s 100th anniversary. Today, the President, Provost, Vice President for Institute Advancement, Vice President for Information Services and Technology and Chief Information Officer, Vice President for Student Life, Division of Finance, and Division of Strategic Communications & External Relations are located in the building.

Voorhees Computing Center (VCC)

The Voorhees Computing Center (VCC) houses the staff offices of the Division of the Chief Information Officer (DotCIO) and Helpdesk. The VCC was named in honor of a 1947 alumnus who was a major donor to the renovation project.

Parking Garage

• Faculty & Staff Parking
• Event Parking

Years of Innovation

Welcome to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Bicentennial Year, 2024!

We are marking this historic milestone with a year-long program of events and activities that honor our past, celebrate our present, and chart our course forward.

Founded in 1824 for applying science to the common purposes of life, RPI is the first technological research university in the United States. Today, it is recognized as a premier university, noted for its robust and holistic learning community that connects creativity with science and technology.

Join us as we embrace this important moment!

The stories of RPI

We invite our entire RPI community to share their Rensselaer stories. To our students, alumni, faculty, staff, partners and supporters, thank you for being part of our journey and making history every day. Whether it's a transformative event, a cherished memory, or a moment of inspiration, please share your story, let's together capture the essence of what makes RPI special.

First Time I Studied Abroad

Filming RPI's Episode of The College Tour

First African American Pillar of Rensselaer

Two centuries of education

This commemorates RPI's 20 decades of innovation, excellence, and impact. From groundbreaking discoveries to life-changing educational experiences, we celebrate the countless and remarkable ways in which those who have studied at RPI have impacted the everyday lives of people everywhere. Explore the world of Rensselaer Firsts to learn just how world-changing our students and graduates are.

Upcoming Signature Events

Take part in a year of Bicentennial celebrations.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

Information Session & Campus Tour

Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 12:00 PM until 2:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time UTC -04:00

Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies Auditorium 117 College Avenue Troy, NY 12180 United States

Registration is no longer available because the registration deadline has passed.

Nine members of RPI community elected to…

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Nine members of rpi community elected to national academy of engineering.

TROY, N.Y. — Nine members of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) community, including alumni, faculty, and a member of the RPI Board of Trustees, were recently included in the The National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) class of 2024.

Membership in the NAE is considered one of the highest honors in the field. It is awarded for “outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature,” and “the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering.”

Christian Belady ’86; Darío Gil, Ph.D.; Martha Grabowski, MBA ’82, M.S. ’83, Ph.D. ’87; Kiruba Sivasubramaniam Haran, Ph.D. ’00; Peter Hart ’62, Ph.D.; Nicholas Miller ’79, ’80; George Pappas ’91, ’92 Ph.D.; Charles Taylor, Jr. ’87, ’91, ’92, Ph.D.; and Steven Weiner ’78 have been elected as the newest members of the NAE class of 2024.

When the induction ceremony is held at NAE’s annual meeting in September, the RPI nominees will join more than 80 living RPI alumni and faculty in the academy.

“That so many researchers who have studied and worked at, and on behalf of, RPI should receive this distinction as we celebrate our Bicentennial is a testament to their talent and hard work, as well as our history of innovation and education,” RPI President Martin Schmidt ’81 said in a news release. “These remarkable engineers exemplify the spirit of creativity, dedication, entrepreneurialism, and civic-mindedness that has characterized Rensselaer through 200 years at the cutting edge of pedagogy and technology.”

Belady earned a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from RPI in 1986. He recently served as vice president and distinguished engineer for Microsoft’s Datacenter Advanced Development group in Mercer Island, Washington. The NAE has recognized him for “delivery of energy-efficient data centers and metrics to characterize their power utilization efficiency.”

Gil, senior vice president and director of IBM Research, is a member of the Rensselaer Board of Trustees. He leads the technical community of IBM, directing innovation strategies in hybrid cloud, AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, and exploratory science. The NAE has recognized him “for advancement and practical use of artificial intelligence and quantum computing in industry and society.”

Grabowski earned three degrees from RPI: a Master of Business Administration in 1982, a Master of Science in industrial engineering in 1983, and a doctorate in management/information systems in 1987. She is now a senior research scientist at RPI and a professor of information systems at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, where she is also the McDevitt Distinguished Chair in Information Systems and the director of the Information Systems program. The NAE has recognized her for “engineering information systems that promote transportation safety and for national leadership in marine transportation policy.”

Haran earned a doctorate in electric power engineering from RPI in 2000. He is now Grainger Endowed Director’s Chair Professor in electrical and computer engineering and director of the Grainger Center for Electric Machinery and Electromechanics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The NAE has recognized him “for high-power density electric and superconducting machinery technology and innovations in aircraft electric propulsion.”

Hart earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from RPI in 1962 and went on to earn a Master of Science and doctorate from Stanford University. He is now chairman emeritus of Ricoh Innovations Inc., which he founded in 1989 in Cupertino, California. The NAE has recognized him “for pattern classification, information theory, computer vision, and robotics.”

Miller earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in electric power engineering from RPI in 1979 and 1980, respectively. The Miller family has a strong RPI legacy, as Miller’s father, brothers, daughter, and eight extended family members are all RPI alumni. He is now principal at HickoryLedge LLC in Delmar. The NAE has recognized him “for reliable integration of wind and solar plants into electric power systems.”

Pappas earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical, computer, and systems engineering and a Master of Science in electrical engineering from RPI in 1991 and 1992, respectively. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. He is now UPS Foundation Professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. The NAE has recognized him “for analysis, synthesis, and control of safety-critical cyber-physical systems.”

Taylor earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering as well as two master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and mathematics from RPI in 1987, 1991, and 1992, respectively. He went on to earn a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, where he became an associate professor of bioengineering and surgery. He is now chief scientific officer of HeartFlow Inc., which he founded in 2010 in Mountain View, California. The NAE has recognized him “for patient-specific computer modeling of blood flow and the noninvasive diagnosis of heart disease.”

Weiner earned a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical engineering from RPI in 1978. He went on to become director of engineering science at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, and Lockheed Martin company, where he designed the X2 Technology Demonstrator helicopter. The NAE has recognized him “for development and fielding of advanced high-speed VTOL aircraft.”

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