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Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford

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Coordinates: 51°45′35″N 1°15′34″W / 51.75972°N 1.25944°W / 51.75972; -1.25944
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Thom Building
Department of Engineering Science
University of Oxford
Former names
The Honour School of Natural Science, University of Oxford
Established1908 (1908)
AffiliationUniversity of Oxford
Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences
Head of DepartmentProf. Clive Siviour (2024-present)
Location
Oxford
,
United Kingdom

51°45′35″N 1°15′34″W / 51.75972°N 1.25944°W / 51.75972; -1.25944
CampusKeble Road Triangle
Websitewww.eng.ox.ac.uk
The Jenkin Building, as seen from Banbury Road in Oxford, England.

The Department of Engineering Science is the engineering department at the University of Oxford.[1] It is part of the university's Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division. Unlike many universities that divide engineering into separate departments, Oxford integrates all major branches of the discipline within a single department, reflecting its commitment to interdisciplinary teaching and research.

In the QS World University Rankings by subject 2025, Oxford's engineering department was ranked 2nd globally, notably achieving a score of 96.7 in global engagement and placed 1st worldwide for its international research network.[2] The University of Oxford was also ranked 1st overall in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025, reinforcing its position as one of world’s leading academic institutions in science, engineering and technology.[3]

The department is primarily located on a triangular site bordered by Banbury Road to the west, Parks Road to the east, and Keble Road to the south. Its main building is the Thom Building, a tall concrete and glass structure completed in the 1960s, which remains a notable feature of the local skyline, particularly when viewed from the adjacent Oxford University Parks. The building contains lecture theatres, teaching and research laboratories, and administrative offices, and is equipped with a rooftop wind tunnel used for aerodynamics research.[4]

Additional low-rise buildings have been constructed to the north in subsequent years, forming an interconnected complex of facilities. The department's location within the Oxford University Science Area places it in close proximity to institutions such as the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and the Radcliffe Science Library, as well as landscaped open spaces like the Oxford University Parks.

Buildings

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The department is headquartered in the Thom Building, constructed in 1960, which contains two main lecture theatres, four floors of teaching, research, and technical support laboratories, core administrative offices, and a dedicated student study area. Adjacent to the Thom Building is a cluster of four interconnected buildings that house academic and postgraduate research space, some of which is shared with the Department of Materials.

In addition to its main site, the department operates several satellite facilities across Oxford. These include the Old Road Campus Building (home to the Institute of Biomedical Engineering), the Southwell Building (housing the Oxford Thermofluids Institute[1]), Eagle House (home to the Oxford Man Institute for Quantitative Finance[2]), the George Building (hosting the Oxford Robotics Institute) and the Institute for Advanced Technology at Begbroke Science Park.

The Thom Building and the Holder Tower as seen from Oxford University Parks.

History

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The Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford was established in 1908 with the appointment of its first professor, Frewen Jenkin,[5] a distinguished engineer and grandfather of Lord Jenkin of Roding. The department’s Jenkin Building is named in his honour. On 2 February 1909, the Honour School of Natural Science (Engineering Science) was formally instituted by the University of Oxford Statutes, marking the beginning of structured engineering education at the university.[5]

Originally located at 6 Keble Road, on the southern edge of what is now known as the Keble Road Triangle within the Oxford University Science Area, it has since grown with the core of the department still occupying this site.[5] The main departmental building, the Thom Building, was completed in 1963. It is named after Alexander Thom (1894–1985), a Scottish engineer, professor of engineering at Oxford, and pioneer in the study of archaeoastronomy, particularly known for his work on megalithic sites and ancient metrology.[6] The adjacent Holder Building, opened in 1976, is named after Professor W.A. Holder, who played a significant role in expanding the department’s academic and research activities.

In 2008, the Department of Engineering Science celebrated its centenary, where Lord Jenkin served as patron. Events included lectures, exhibitions, and the publication of a commemorative history, Mechanicks in the Universitie, authored by Alastair Howatson.[7]

Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science is unique in the UK for offering a general engineering degree at the undergraduate level, rather than requiring immediate specialization. In particular, students study a broad core curriculum covering mechanical, civil, electrical, biomedical, and information engineering in the early years, followed by specialization in later stages. This integrated model is designed to develop engineers with strong interdisciplinary and analytical skills.[8]

The department is internationally renowned for its research excellence and interdisciplinary impact. It hosts several world-leading institutes, including the Oxford Robotics Institute, known for advances in autonomous navigation and robotics; the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, which focuses on medical imaging, diagnostic systems, and computational physiology; and the Oxford Thermofluids Institute, specializing in fluid mechanics, combustion, and heat transfer.

In 2023, the department received a £10 million philanthropic gift from the Reuben Foundation to advance research in sustainable infrastructure and climate-resilient energy systems.[9]

Undergraduate programme

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The intake of students into the department is between 160 and 170 annually.[10] The department offers a general engineering course, where students only specialise in one of six areas in their third and fourth years of their Masters in Engineering degree (MEng). These specialisations are:[11]

  1. Biomedical Engineering
  2. Chemical Engineering
  3. Civil Engineering
  4. Electrical Engineering
  5. Information Engineering
  6. Mechanical Engineering

Students can also choose to follow an Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Management (EEM) pathway in the third and fourth years of their degree. This option is taught in coordination with the Saïd Business School.[citation needed]

Graduate programmes and research

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The department has approximately 500 full-time and part-time postgraduate research students. The research degrees offered by the department are Masters by Research - MSc(R), Doctor of Engineering - DEng and Doctor of Philosophy - DPhil.[12]

Research is conducted in the following areas:[13]

The department also houses the following research institutes:

  1. Oxford e-Research Centre
  2. Oxford Institute of Biomedical Engineering (IBME)
  3. Oxford-Man Institute (OMI) [14]
  4. Oxford Robotics Institute (ORI)
  5. Oxford Thermofluids Institute (OTI)
  6. The ZERO Institute
  7. The Podium Institute

Research impact

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The department is internationally recognised for its interdisciplinary and application-focused research. It is consistently ranked among the world’s leading engineering institutions for academic output, research quality, and global collaboration.[2] The key research areas include:

  • Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy Systems: In 2023, the department received a £10 million donation from the Reuben Foundation to support research on net-zero technologies, green construction, and resilient infrastructure.[19]

Oxford's Department of Engineering Science is also actively involved in several university-wide and national initiatives, including the Oxford Net Zero programme, the Institute for Energy Studies, and cross-disciplinary collaborations through the AI x Science partnership with the Oxford Department of Computer Science and the Medical Sciences Division.

Spin-out companies

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Approximately 40 spin-out companies have been founded from research originating from the department. These start-ups continue to operate across sectors including medical technology, biotechnology, energy, transportation, instrumentation, materials science, nanotechnology, optics, robotics, and information technology. Notable examples are PowderJect Pharmaceuticals, YASA, OrganOx, First Light Fusion, Oxsonics, Oxbotica, Sensyne Health, OxVent, Mind Foundry, Oxa, and Opsydia.[20]

Notable alumni and faculty

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Fellows of the Royal Society
Timoshenko Medal Recipients
Heads of Department
Alumni with Significant Contributions

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Alastair M. Howatson, Engineering Science at Oxford: A History, 2008.
  2. ^ a b "QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Engineering & Technology". Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  3. ^ "World University Rankings 2025 results announced". Times Higher Education. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  4. ^ "Thom Building Wind Tunnel". Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Howatson, Alastair (2008). Mechanicks in the Universitie: A History of Engineering Science at Oxford. Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford / The Holywell Press. ISBN 978-0-9526208-2-2.
  6. ^ Ruggles, C.L.N. (1987). "Alexander Thom and Archaeoastronomy". Archaeoastronomy. 10: 44–48.
  7. ^ "Centenary of Engineering Science: Programme". Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford. 2008. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2007.
  8. ^ "Engineering Science". Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  9. ^ "£10m Reuben Foundation gift boosts Engineering Science". University of Oxford. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  10. ^ "University of Oxford - Admissions Statistics - By Course". Tableau Software. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  11. ^ "MEng in Engineering Science — Department of Engineering Science". www.eng.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Information about postgraduate study in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford". www.eng.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Oxford Engineering Science Research Groups".
  14. ^ "Introducing the Oxford-Man Institute of Quantitative Finance". oxford-man.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  15. ^ "Oxford Robotics Institute". Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  16. ^ "Institute of Biomedical Engineering". Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  17. ^ Smith, N. P. (2004). "Computational modelling of cardiac electrophysiology". Journal of the Royal Society Interface. 1 (2): 91–103. doi:10.1098/rsif.2004.0011. PMC 1578259. PMID 16849161.
  18. ^ "Oxford Thermofluids Institute". Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  19. ^ "£10m Reuben Foundation gift boosts Engineering Science". University of Oxford. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  20. ^ "Commercialisation and spinouts". Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  21. ^ "Royal Society". Royal Society.
  22. ^ "Royal Society".
  23. ^ "Department of Engineering Science website". Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  24. ^ "IEEE Author Profile".
  25. ^ "Royal Society".
  26. ^ "SOUE News".
  27. ^ "Info". www.americanrhodes.org.
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