University of Oklahoma College of Engineering - History

History

The college was founded in 1909, but engineering work started five years before that under the School of Applied Science. By 1908 formal programs had been established in electrical, civil and mechanical engineering under the direction of the school's first dean, James Felgar, who would lead the soon to be created college for 28 years. The college's first spike in enrollment came in the 1930s, when demand for natural gas and oil led to the creation of programs in geological engineering and petroleum engineering. Until the 1970s, engineering students could be identified by the slide rules which were carried in a leather case on their belts.

The college's main office are currently located in Carson Engineering Center, with many civil and industrial engineering classes being held in that building. Historic Felgar Hall houses mechanical and aerospace engineering, while the first three floors of the Sarkeys Energy Center are home to the school of chemical engineering. In recent years, the college has rapidly expanded beyond these buildings as to the recently constructed Devon Energy Hall, for electrical and computer engineering, and the ExxonMobil Lawrence G. Rawl Engineering Practice Facility, which provides students and engineering organizations large scale work space. Four of these buildings (Carson, Felgar, Devon and the Practice Facility) create an "engineering quadrangle" on the northeast section of OU's main campus. Many graduate level classes and research labs have moved to the recently opened Stephenson Research Center located on Norman's south campus.

Between 1998 and 2002, the college had negotiated dozens of licenses and patent applications, marketed more than 55 inventions and helped with the formation of 12 start-up companies.

In 2010 the college celebrated its centennial with a variety of events, including a symposium with presentations from several prominent alumni, as well as a keynote address by renowned humanitarian and Three Cups of Tea author Greg Mortenson.