Here in the School of Science, we discover answers to humanity's most compelling questions, define new fields of study, and invent solutions to global challenges. Moving seamlessly across disciplinary boundaries, we bring together the best of all fields in order to advance the cause of science.
You are in control.
Our undergraduate degree programs include many electives so you can tailor a curriculum to meet your interests and talents. This flexibility provides an opportunity to explore dual-major degrees, accelerated programs, or begin your graduate work with a co-terminal degree.
Information Technology and Web Science
Launch into any profession with a foundation in Information Age technology. The Information Technology and Web Science program combines mastery of data, web, and information technologies with an academic discipline of your choice.
Summer Here. The World Away.
The Arch shuffles the academic calendar to pack more experience into your education. Spend a unique summer semester on campus, then take the fall or spring semester of junior year to pursue professional or personal development opportunities.
Rensselaer has long been noted for its "low walls" - There are no rigid divisions across departments and schools.
Departments & Programs
Academic Opportunities within the School of Science
Announcements
The School of Science is excited to announce our 2023 Commencement Brunch for all of our School of Science graduates, both undergrad and graduate school! The brunch will be Friday, May 19th from 10:30 am - 1:00 pm at the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy. Students and their families will be seated with their department and surrounded by faculty and other graduates. Attendees can also expect a brief welcome from the School of Science Dean, Curt Breneman, followed by our departmental award ceremony.
The School of Science Advising Hub (The Hub) is a resource for School of Science students during their time at RPI and is a resource for all advising purposes. Staffed by experienced advisors, The Hub assists students in achieving their academic goals.
Upcoming Events
Department News
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Frank Spear, Ph.D., professor of earth and environmental sciences and Edward Hamilton Distinguished Educator Chair, is the 2024 recipient of the Walter H. Bucher Medal from the American Geophysical Union (AGU). The medal is presented annually to a “senior scientist in recognition of original contributions to the basic knowledge of crust and lithosphere.” It is considered a recognition of lifetime achievement.
Recently, RPI’s Richard Bonocora, Ph.D., senior lecturer in biological sciences, joined 29 other international participants for the Spaceflight Technology, Applications and Research (STAR) program. STAR is “a virtual NASA training for space biosciences.” The program, which will run until February, will give Bonocora an overview of the current topics in space biology, how to conduct an experiment in space and all of the unique considerations, and provide unique collaborative opportunities. He plans to share his new knowledge across campus with fellow faculty members as well as students. “I’m excited to gain knowledge through the STAR program that can help my students in many fields pursue these exciting opportunities,” said Bonocora.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Fengyan Li, Ph.D., professor of mathematical sciences, has been selected as a 2025 Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). AWM Fellows demonstrate a sustained commitment “to encourage women and girls to study and to have active careers in the mathematical sciences, and to promote equal opportunity and the equal treatment of women and girls in the mathematical sciences.”
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Gwo-Ching Wang, Ph.D., Travelstead Institute Chair, is the 2025 recipient of the Davisson-Germer Prize in Atomic or Surface Physics from the American Physical Society (APS). Wang is being honored for “pioneering contributions to the development and use of electron diffraction techniques to study surfaces, growth-front ordering, and two-dimensional materials.”
A research study led jointly by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s (RPI) Gaetano Montelione, Ph.D., Professor and Constellation Endowed Chair of Chemistry and Chemical Biology; and David Baker, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry, HHMI investigator, and the director of the Institute for Protein Design (IPD) at the University of Washington School of Medicine; describes a systematic high-throughput design approach for virtual screening and creation of novel polypeptide-based molecules that form regular secondary structures that can be used in biology or materials science research. Baker was recently named a co-recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing the emerging field of de novo protein design.
Contact Information
School of Science
Jonsson-Rowland Science Center
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 Eighth Street, Troy, NY 12180-3590
(518) 276-6305
School of Science Advising Hub
Empire State Hall 1107 (Polymer Center)
(518) 276-8079
scienceHUB@rpi.edu