The history of the faculty – in major events
The Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Technion is a leader in its field in Israel and worldwide, with a rich history of significant achievements.
Below are key milestones in the faculty’s development:
- 1938-1947: The Department of Electrotechnics was established as part of the Faculty of Technology, coinciding with the arrival of Prof. Franz Ollendorff at the Technion.
- 1947: The department became an independent academic unit under the leadership of Prof. Ollendorff, who served as its first dean.
- 1961: The faculty was renamed the “Faculty of Electrical Engineering” to align with global standards.
- 2015: The faculty was named after Andrew and Erna Viterbi following a $50 million donation.
- 2021: The faculty was renamed the “Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering” to reflect its broad scope of teaching and research fields, including hardware, software, communications, and power systems.
Buildings:
- Until 1946: The Technion was located in a building in the Hadar neighborhood, which now serves as a museum.
- 1952: The Fischbach Building, the second building constructed at the Technion, was designated as a heritage site.
- 1982: The Meyer Building was inaugurated.
- 1987: The Wolfson Microelectronics Building was inaugurated, housing advanced laboratories.
- 2004: Two additional floors were added to the Meyer Building as part of the CompuTech Center.
- 2007: The Moshe and Sara Zisapel Nanoelectronics Center was inaugurated.
- 2024: The Zisapel Building, donated by the late Yehuda and Zohar Zisapel, is the fifth building designed for the benefit of researchers, graduate students, and two learning spaces for undergraduates.
Additional Information:
- Each year, approximately 400 undergraduate students and 100 graduate students join the faculty.
- In 2021, the faculty celebrated 15,000 alumni since its establishment.
Watch the Video:
To view a video describing the faculty’s development from 1938 to 2021, click the following link:
Part 1 of the Faculty’s History (Hebrew)
Written by Dr. Micha Werner
“The Evolution of a Name” – Changes in the Faculty’s Name from 1938 to Today (Hebrew)
The Zisapel Building for Electrical and Computer Engineering