Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private, independent institution of higher learning in Troy, New York. It was founded in 1824 as Rensselaer School by Stephen Van Rensselaer, a United States. Army officer and congressman from New York. The school changed its name to Rensselaer Institute in 1832 and then to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1851.
From its beginning, the institute has emphasized applied science. Today, three important areas of study at the institute are energy and the environment, interactive learning, and manufacturing materials and design. Notable alumni include Washington Roebling, builder of the Brooklyn Bridge; television pioneer Alan B. DuMont; and George M. Low, director of NASA’s Apollo program. The institute’s athletic teams are called the Rensselaer Redhawks.
The school’s website at https://www.rpi.edu/ offers additional information.
