NJIT Makes Innovations, Opportunities, Leaders

The inauguration of a new president is an important milestone for every university. It is a time to bring together students, alumni, faculty, staff, friends and community members to renew and recommit to the university’s core mission, which at NJIT is educating students through research and teaching. This also is a time to celebrate the university itself – what it stands for, what it has accomplished and where it is going.

The theme of my inauguration, which is covered beginning on page 8 of this issue, was “NJIT Makes Innovations, Opportunities, Leaders.” I chose that theme because it captures both the essence of NJIT’s past and my vision for where I hope to lead this incredible institution. The spirit of innovation permeates our university community and has enabled NJIT to become one of the most productive research universities in the entire country. We routinely generate knowledge and create practical solutions to real-world challenges. Similarly, NJIT excels at creating opportunities for its students and alumni while helping them to become leaders of major corporations and industries, as well as within the communities where they live and work. Highlanders make an impact!

Now it is my duty to build upon this university’s incredible history of success, and I am embracing that opportunity.

Similar to an inauguration, this issue of NJIT Magazine reflects upon our institution’s past, reports on its present and explores its bright future. This issue contains our annual Honor Roll of Donors, without whom none of NJIT’s incredible accomplishments or aspirations would be realized. It also includes articles on the NCE Salute to Engineering Excellence (page 5) and the naming of John Pelesko, who straddles both NJIT’s past and its future, as the university’s next provost (page 3). In addition, this issue explores the vibrancy, impact and potential of NJIT’s research enterprise (page 12), introduces the man who will guide our men’s basketball program to new heights (page 6) and examines the vast and looming possible effects of artificial intelligence on human lives, as was discussed at a conference hosted by NJIT’s Murray Center for Women in Technology (page 14) this spring.

I am so proud to serve as president of NJIT, and I am especially grateful for the manner in which this university community has embraced my family and me. My investiture ceremony and the related events that took place before and after were both inspiring and humbling, and I am incredibly appreciative to the entire NJIT community for making my inauguration experience so memorable. You have my sincere thanks, and I hope you enjoy this issue of NJIT Magazine.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim