Dean's Message

Welcome to the Faculty of Applied Sciences at Simon Fraser University (SFU). We are committed to teaching and research excellence in Computing and Engineering Sciences. We have a track record of graduating students who are sought-after for their leadership and communication skills, and for their spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in technology.

We are aligned with SFU’s Academic Mission to provide high-quality, student-centred learning experiences. For our people, 100 faculty members and more than 40 staff, this means exploring opportunities arising from our industry partnerships, creating interdisciplinary programs in key areas and offering experiential learning through capstone projects, co-op work terms and international exchanges. As a technology-focused faculty, we are reviewing our curricula in 2011 to ensure we remain up-to-date and relevant, calling upon our External Advisory Council of industry partners for their valued input.

We are a leader in international student exchanges and I am proud to say that we were one of the first Canadian universities to offer an undergraduate-level dual-degree program in Computing Science. Building on the success and student demand from our undergraduate program with Zhejiang University in China, in the 2010-2011 school year we launched a graduate dual-degree program as well.

Our faculty members are conducting leading-edge research in a wide range of areas including artificial intelligence, informatics, biomedical technology, robotics, telecommunications and mechatronics. Their work is supported by national research funding agencies and industry. Our graduate students find SFU offers a rewarding research experience with more than 30 research labs covering a wide range of areas in computing science and engineering, and many opportunities for industry collaborations and partnerships.

For the fourth year in a row, Simon Fraser University has been named Canada’s No. 1 comprehensive university in Canada, a first-place ranking that it has earned several times over the past 20 years in Maclean’s annual survey. It is an honor for me to be part of SFU during this exciting time and during this period where we are redefining our overall vision. In the next four to five years, our faculty will be guided by SFU’s new vision and by the significant opportunities associated with the growing Surrey campus.

Dr. Nimal Rajapakse, P.Eng., FCAE, FEIC
Professor and Dean