<p>Since there’s been some discussion on here about the new Molecular Engineering Institute…</p>
<p>[Institute</a> for Molecular Engineering names three esteemed researchers to faculty | UChicago News](<a href=“http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/06/25/institute-molecular-engineering-names-three-esteemed-researchers-faculty]Institute”>http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/06/25/institute-molecular-engineering-names-three-esteemed-researchers-faculty)</p>
<p>Glad to know.</p>
<p>So, I am really curious. When are they going to start offering programs and degrees to undergraduate students? Not that it matters to me since my kid will graduate next year, and NOT in the field. Just my curiosity.</p>
<p>So is Molecular Engineering in the PSD or BSD? How about adding a Division of Engineering?</p>
<p>This article in the UChicago Magazine, in case you haven’t seen it, tells a bit more about the IME.</p>
<p>Apparently, it is technically a “Research Institute,” but as the director notes:</p>
<p>“The IME will have a kind of license to do things together the way a research institute does and a license to acquire faculty the way an academic unit does,” Tirrell says. “That doesn’t exist elsewhere as far as I know.”</p>
<p>[From</a> the ground up | The University of Chicago Magazine](<a href=“http://mag.uchicago.edu/science-medicine/ground]From”>From the ground up | The University of Chicago Magazine)</p>
<p>I spoke with Matt Tirrell not long ago and the plans are to offer courses to undergrads quite soon and a major in about three years or so.</p>