Fred Fontaine Joins YU as Visiting Professor; Tasked with Developing Electrical Engineering Program

Yeshiva University has welcomed Professor Fred Fontaine, chair of the electrical engineering department at The Cooper Union, as a visiting professor for the fall of 2024.

In his new role, Fontaine will focus on developing YU’s first-ever engineering program in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), an interdisciplinary-major that will work closely with YU’s existing computer science and business programs. He will also deliver guest lectures, focusing on the intersection between signal processing, business and computer science.

The planned new department will offer a B.S. in electrical and computer engineering, and possibly a master’s degree as well, Fontaine told The Commentator. In addition to developing a curriculum, Fontaine will oversee developing a plan for other components for an engineering curriculum, such as laboratory facilities, faculty and staff assignments, strategies for admission and job placement and possible joint programs with other institutions, which may include Israeli companies and universities. 

Fontaine holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology. He has taught electrical engineering at The Cooper Union for nearly four decades, serving as chair of the department and guiding it through four ABET accreditation reviews. He also has ties in the engineering industry, having both worked as a consultant and developed curricula for technical training programs. 

The lack of an engineering department has long been felt at YU. Previously, students interested in engineering had to either complete a pre-engineering major and pursue graduate studies elsewhere or enroll in a joint program with Columbia University. As a result, many students who might have appreciated YU’s other offerings opted to study elsewhere.

Fontaine was recruited by Dean Noam Wasserman of the Sy Syms School of Business (SSSB) and Professor Judah Diament, chair of the Department of Computer Science at Yeshiva College, to lead the new initiative. 

Wasserman told The Commentator that he could not disclose details about when the program is expected to be launched, due to a New York law that restricts schools from promoting degree programs before they are accredited.

“One of the goals [of] the proposed engineering program is to achieve a tight integration with the existing programs in computer science [and] business at Yeshiva University,” Fontaine shared with The Commentator. He added that the engineering program will allow computer science students to engage in hands-on work and collaborate with engineering students on projects, and that engineering students will benefit from the focus on entrepreneurship and innovation at SSSB, as many engineering students end up working in the financial sector. 

Some unique aspects of the program, according to Fontaine, will be its emphasis on project work from the very first semester and focus on ethics and professional practice. Fontaine explained to The Commentator that “combining principles of just-in-time teaching with experiential learning, grounded in the notion of how core values are reflected in the specific context of the engineering profession … will have a profound impact on engineering students as they embark on the studies in their chosen field.”

Students will complete the program with a year-long capstone senior project.

“Yeshiva University is a flagship Jewish university that empowers and inspires the next generation of leaders to be guided by core values," Fontaine told The Commentator. “For me, this is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the growth of the university, to help it in its mission to bring light into darkness. I believe it is particularly important that Yeshiva University should be able to serve students who seek an education that integrates Jewish studies with their technical areas of focus, in order to achieve a meaning and purpose that will guide them through their careers.

“I feel greatly honored to participate in what will hopefully be a major step forward for Yeshiva University, enhancing its prestige and its reach.”

Photo Caption: Professor Fred Fontaine

Photo Credit: The Cooper Union