Edwin "Ned" Thomas, the William & Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering, joined Rice in 2011 following a distinguished career as a materials scientist and several years as chair of the Department of Materials Science at MIT, the leading program in the nation. In his first eight months at Rice, Ned has been busy observing and assessing every aspect of the Rice engineering program, from undergraduate teaching to faculty research to alumni experiences. Now, in his first major address to alumni, Ned will discuss the current state of the School of Engineering and present his vision for the School's future.