As the College of Engineering reaches its centennial milestone, its track record is a testimony to creativity and seriousness. Recent technological hits, such as the Hollywood blockbuster Toy Story and the legendary video arcade game Pong, are products of a college that, upon its creation, set its sights on becoming the best. Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, it proves it can create an educational environment able to turn the theoretical into creative reality. With a touch of whimsy as well.

An area of excellence has long been computer graphics. "(The College of Engineering's) program laid the foundations for the computer graphics revolution," notes Edwin Catmull BS'69 PhD'73, executive producer of Toy Story, and chief technology officer of Pixar, Point Richmond, Calif., which produced the film's acclaimed animation. (See page __.)

Nolan Bushnell BS'69 (U of U Distinguished Alumnus Award, 1982) is one of many major figures involved with computer graphics and multimedia who came from the College of Engineering. Having founded Atari (which produced Pong) and Chuck E. Cheese's restaurants, Bushnell is now chair of E2000, which is developing digital entertainment megacenters. In addition, College of Engineering graduates and professors have produced the first effective artificial heart, startlingly lifelike artificial limbs, the digital compact disk, and desktop publishing.

This is a roll call of achievement that the college's founders could never have imagined when establishing the State of Utah's first engineering program in 1895. Yet even then, the program set its sights high. Joseph Merrill, who founded the program with Richard Lyman, enunciated the goals of engineering at the University, when he wrote: "It is the aim of the administration to make the quality of the work in each subject, whether in the classroom, the laboratory, or the field, equal, at least, to that done anywhere in the United States." These unlikely pioneers could never have imagined that they and their handful of students would be the wellspring from which came some of the major technological achievements of the 20th century. Engineering as an independent discipline got its start at European universities during the Industrial Revolution, particularly in Germany and England.

In the United States, formal engineering education began in the late 1800s, placing the start of the University's engineering program early in this movement. The School of Mines was established at the University in 1892, followed three years later by a four-year engineering program which was part of the mining curriculum. Only engineering courses applicable to the mining industry were allowed at first. Lyman, instructor in engineering and mechanical drawing, organized the first Department of Engineering.

Merrill led the School of Mines from 1897 to 1916, a time when the program expanded to include electrical, civil, mechanical, and chemical engineering. The graduate program was established (1908) with the authorization of a master's degree in engineering. In 1916, the college's name was changed to the State School of Mines and Engineering to reflect the growing importance of engineering. Not until 1930 did engineering get its own home with the construction of the Engineering Building. By 1940, the now-named College of Mines and Engineering became the largest in the University, with an enrollment of over 4,600, reflecting growing interest in engineering due to the war effort. (Today's enrollment is about 3,000.) Five years later, the College began granting a doctoral degree and the next year, mining and engineering separated, with LeRoy Taylor named the first dean of the new College of Engineering. In 1960, the college moved into its present home, the Joseph F. Merrill Engineering Building. The acid test for any college is its people-what its graduates and faculty have contributed to the discipline and society. By any measure, the College of Engineering has more than paid back the citizens of Utah for their support over the years.

Among the most notable faculty members one must include David Evans BA'49 PhD'53, who started the Computer Graphics Department in 1966, and was its first chair. He brought in Ivan Sutherland and together they created a computer graphics program which built the foundation upon which much of today's computer graphics, multimedia, desktop publishing, and virtual reality industries rely.

Interdisciplinary research, a hallmark of the University's engineering education since its mining engineering beginnings, got an enormous boost in 1967 when Dutch-born Willem Kolff, known as the "father of artificial organs," joined the faculty. From his efforts came the first practical artificial heart, as well as artificial ears, eyes, kidneys, and limbs. Life magazine in 1991 named him one of the 20th century's most influential Americans. Though retired, Kolff continues to work eight hours a day in his lab on campus.

Also pursuing world-class bioengineering research is Steve Jacobsen BS'67 MS'70 PhD'73, a student of Kolff's, who has created such devices as the Utah Artificial Arm as well as robots used in industry and at DisneyWorld (Continuum, Summer 1995). A professor of mechanical engineering who heads the college's Center for Engineering Design, Jacobsen won the national mechanical engineers' Leonardo DaVinci Award in 1987.

John Warnock BS'61 MS'64 PhD'69 (U of U Distinguished Alumnus Award, 1995) is one of the shining lights of computer graphics and desktop publishing. He is cofounder and head of Adobe Systems, whose Postscript software enabled desktop computers to handle graphics and page layouts for the first time.

Jim Clark PhD'74 (U of U honorary degree recipient, 1995) founded Silicon Graphics, one of the major manufacturers of workstations for computer graphics, and Netscape, a software company leading the way onto the Internet (Continuum, Fall 1995). Electrical engineering professor Thomas Stockham, when looking for a way to improve the re-recording of old phonograph records of classical music, invented digital sound, which won him an Emmy Award in 1987.

What characterizes these and many other College of Engineering graduates and faculty is their willingness to take risks and turn dreams into marketable products. Notes Alan Ashton BS'66 PhD'70 (U of U Distinguished Alumnus Award, 1991), cofounder of WordPerfect Corp.: "Those that came here were people who did things. I think that appealed to a number of us students who had a little bit of an entrepreneurial spirit. It encouraged us to go out and make a contribution ourselves."

Among the most auspicious figures is Salt Lake native Simon Ramo BS'33, the "R" in TRW, Inc., the huge technology company. Ramo is one of the college's-and the University's-most distinguished alumni. As chief scientist in the development of America's intercontinental ballistic missiles, he received the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award. He chaired the Committees of Science and Technology under President Ford; received the National Medal of Science; developed General Electric's electron microscope; received more than a dozen honorary degrees; wrote seven books; and continues to serve as a visiting professor at the California Institute of Technology.

Earl Holding BS'51, another Salt Lake native, is a self-made multimillionaire who with his family owns Sinclair Oil Corp., the Little America hotel chain, Sun Valley and Snow Basin ski resorts, and enough acreage to rank second among Salt Lake City's largest landholders. Robert Grow BS'73, with a partner, took over in 1987 the then-shuttered Geneva Steel plant in Orem from U.S. Steel Corp. Amid widespread skepticism, he turned Geneva Steel into a major steel producer and an important contributor to the local economy. Grow is now Geneva's president and CEO.

William Gould BS'42 joined Southern California Edison Co. In 1948. Thirty years later he was president, and then within two years, gained the titles of chair and chief executive officer. Now retired, he is board chair emeritus. Five years ago, he endowed the William R. and Arlyn Gould Distinguished Lecture on Technology and the Quality of Life, held annually at the U. The tradition of engineering alumni successful in business continues with Jason Mendenhall, who will graduate in chemical engineering in June. He is co-owner of Salt Lake City-based Stage Door Cartoon, a three-store chain selling cartoon paraphernalia. Money earned from the stores has helped finance Jason's education.

The work of College of Engineering students, faculty, and alumni has made major contributions to Utah's economy and prestige. Ray Noorda BS'49 brought Novell Corp., Orem, to second place among personal computer software companies and several thousand jobs to Utah Valley. Alan Ashton's WordPerfect, among the five largest personal computer software companies before its acquisition by Novell, was also a major local employer. Salt Lake City's Evans & Sutherland, founded by David Evans and Ivan Sutherland in 1968, was a pioneer in the field of graphic simulators and work stations. Today it is the world's leader in flight simulation for aircraft pilots.

Boise's Micron Technology Inc. decided to locate a $2.5 billion manufacturing plant in Lehi, in part because of the quality and breadth of the College of Engineering's programs. Thousands of high paying jobs in Utah are the result of spinoffs from University of Utah research and the companies its graduates have founded. The Wasatch Front is among the top five locations for computer software, and is also known as Bionic Valley for its abundance of biotechnology firms-all largely the result of the College of Engineering.

It is fitting testimony to the college's first 100 years that it is today making such major contributions locally, as well as around the world. The next 100 years? The past suggests it will be a continuing period of creativity and innovation, and more than a little fun.

(Sidebar) Illustrious Wizardy

Edwin Catmull BS'69 PhD'74 has a historically important left hand, something the Smithsonian might want. During an Ivan Sutherland-taught class at the College of Engineering in 1973, Catmull created a computer rendering of his left hand. A few years later this piece of technical wizardry appeared in Future World, making history by being the first computer-rendered graphics to appear in a feature film.

It was a portent of what has become an illustrious career in computer animation. While at Granite High School (where his father later became principal), Catmull decided to become an animator. It was serendipitous that he attended the University of Utah because it was the premier university for computer graphics.

Now one of the hottest areas in all of industry, it is easy to forget that computer graphics was once held in low regard. At a convention he attended while a student, Catmull recalls overhearing negative comments about the U of U's computer program. "They referred to Utah in a fairly disparaging tone," he says. "I knew they were wrong."

He was right, as were the others then breaking new ground in the College of Engineering. Catmull persevered. After leaving Utah, he went to the New York Institute of Technology, where he researched animation technology. From there he moved to Lucasfilm Ltd., George Lucas' company in Marin County, Calif., which was developing technology for the film industry. In 1986, the animation efforts were spun off as Pixar, where Catmull today is vice president and chief technology officer.

In 1993, Catmull won a special Oscar, the Scientific and Technical Engineering Award. Pixar is pushing the envelope of computer animation, having contributed graphics to such Disney films as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. The company gained widespread fame in 1995 when it created for Disney the first totally computer-generated film, Toy Story, which became one of the biggest hits of the year. Catmull was the film's executive producer.

He looks back fondly at his experience at the College of Engineering. "The whole group of people was extraordinary, and dealing with them and going to school with them was a phenomenal experience," he says. "By nature, it was a certain kind of person who came to this program. That same set of people went out and continued to make advances after leaving Utah." Catmull's memories of his time at the U are perhaps colored by his ability to excel in a "technology" far removed from computers. During the 1970s, he claims to have been the best in his department at shooting rubber bands the greatest distance, a result of his knowledge of physics (his undergraduate major).