Prabhat Hajela, an experienced academic and administrative leader, has been appointed provost of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, effective July 1, 2012.

Congratulations to the Class of 2012! More than 1,600 Rensselaer gradates crossed the stage stage this morning, at the university’s 206th Commencement. I’m sure it won’t be long before we’re reading about all of their amazing successes and innovations!

Former U.S. House of Representative Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon told graduates to use their education to answer today’s “Sputnik challenge.”

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Columbia Development Companies held a ribbon cutting to unveil the project that has converted the Chasan Building into office space for the Rensselaer Institute Advancement team.

This year, 1,613 students will receive degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, May 26, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the East Campus Athletic Village (ECAV) stadium.

Rensselaer will convene the 10th annual President’s Commencement Colloquy engaging its 2012 honorary degree recipients in a discussion titled “Honoring Tradition, Responding to a Changing World.”

Engineers for a Sustainable World have been hard at work transforming a used 20-foot steel shipping container into a safe, comfortable, and transportable bedroom for orphaned children in Haiti.

Computational mechanics expert Suvranu De has been named the new head of the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering (MANE).

Laurie Anderson has been named the inaugural distinguished artist in residence at EMPAC for a three-year term beginning later this year.

Rensselaer today announced the new Manufacturing Innovation Learning Lab (MILL).