On Campus With Rashid

At Grainger Engineering, we believe the future is never created in isolation. Every breakthrough builds on the curiosity and vision of those who came before, extending ideas that continue to shape our world in ways their creators could scarcely have imagined.

Photo Credit: Heather Coit / The Grainger College of Engineering

In this issue of Limitless, we celebrate the life and legacy of Sir Anthony "Tony" Leggett, a giant in condensed matter physics whose influence reaches far beyond the discoveries that earned him the 2003 Nobel Prize. Tony, who passed away this spring, made groundbreaking contributions to quantum mechanics that continue to shape one of today's most transformative fields. His work on macroscopic quantum tunneling inspired the experiments recognized with the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics and laid the theoretical foundation for the superconducting qubits powering today's quantum computers.

Yet Tony's greatest legacy may be the generations of scientists he inspired. As a researcher, teacher and mentor, he challenged others to think more deeply and pursue ideas that reshaped the frontiers of science. We look forward to honoring his remarkable life during a symposium on campus Oct. 10–11.

You will also read about alumnus Bob Smilowitz ('73, M.S.; '77, Ph.D., Civil Engineering), whose expertise in designing terrorism-resistant buildings helped strengthen iconic American structures after the Sept. 11 attacks. As we mark the 25th anniversary of that tragic day, we recognize leaders like Bob who transformed engineering knowledge into resilience.

That same spirit of innovation is alive across Grainger Engineering today. Our researchers are advancing a cross-campus bioeconomy initiative, developing technologies that will help feed a growing global population while using fewer natural resources.

Preparing students to solve tomorrow's challenges requires us to continually reinvent how we teach as well as what we discover. Since the founding of the Siebel Center for Design a decade ago through the generosity of alumnus Tom Siebel ('75, B.A., History; '83, MBA; '85, M.S., Computer Science), human-centered design has become integral to the Grainger experience, empowering students to understand real human needs and create lasting solutions.

The stories in this issue remind us that the most enduring legacies are measured not only by what is accomplished in a lifetime, but by the possibilities those accomplishments unlock for generations to come.

Rashid Bashir
Dean, The Grainger College of Engineering