Eleanor Baum

Dean of the School of Engineering of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art, New York, NY since 1987. Dr. Baum is also a director of Allegheny Energy, Inc., a utility holding company, and former director of United States Trust Company (1991-2007); the former Chair of the New York Academy of Sciences (1998-1999); former Chair of the Engineering Workforce Commission (1999-2002); Dr. Baum is a Trustee of Embry Riddle University and serves on various advisory boards to universities, government agencies and industry groups. She completed the five-year engineering program at City College in four years, by attending summer school, worked in the aerospace industry, and then earned her Ph.D in electrical engineering from Polytechnic University. When she was named dean of Pratt Institute’s engineering school in 1985, she became the nation’s first female engineering dean. At Cooper since 1997, she strives to increase the enrollment of women, now at 30% up from 3% when she arrived. As dean, she’s increased Cooper Union’s outreach to high school students through summer programs and career days, and works to promote how flexible an engineering degree can be.