Seattle City Wire

The University of Washington will break ground this fall on a new, $90 million Interdisciplinary Engineering Building,  thanks in part to a $10 million donation from Boeing. Once

complete,  the state-of-the-art building will be a leading example of a  student-focused learning facility backed by both public and private  investments. The state of Washington has

also dedicated $50 million to  support the project that aims to fuel economic growth and create a  pipeline of future, local engineering talent.

Boeing’s relationship with the  UW dates back more than a century, and this latest investment will  support naming rights for the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building’s  entire

second level, which includes the College of Engineering’s new AI  Education Institute and adjacent curricular spaces.

“Investment in engineering education is not just crucial to our  region’s economy, it is essential to developing the skilled  professionals and catalyzing the discovery and innovation

that we need  to address our world’s most pressing challenges,” said UW President Ana  Mari Cauce. “Boeing’s significant investment is a reflection of our  longstanding and deep

partnership, and we are proud to continue working  together to advance engineering education, create opportunities for  students and expand the pipeline to develop the highly

skilled diverse  workforce our region and our world needs.”

The College of Engineering graduates more than 50% of the state’s new  engineers. Boeing is a top employer of UW engineering graduates, with  nearly 1,200 engineering alumni

hired in the last five years and 6,500  UW alumni currently working for the aerospace company, according to  LinkedIn and other data.

“The new Interdisciplinary Engineering Building offers Boeing the  opportunity to partner more closely with the university on cutting-edge  technologies that enhance the safety and

sustainability of our products  and services,” said Greg Hyslop, Boeing chief engineer and executive  vice president of Engineering, Test & Technology. “Through continue

 research and talent development, we will advance our work in artificial  intelligence, machine learning and other capabilities that support our  digital innovation. It helps us all move

toward a dynamic and exciting  future in the state of Washington.”

Since Boeing’s earliest days, leaders have partnered with the UW to  nurture talent and foster engineering innovation. In 1917, company  founder Bill Boeing gave the UW $6,000

to construct a wind tunnel, the  same year that UW aeronautics courses began. UW’s aeronautics department  officially was established in 1929, and in 2012 was named the

William  E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics. Today, Boeing  uses a newer wind tunnel at UW to test nearly every new airplane the  company’s engineers design.

Boeing contributions to UW over the years include internships,  scholarships and other innovative opportunities for students, especially  those who come from marginalized

communities, to enter engineering  fields.

With dedicated space for Industry Capstone Projects, the  Interdisciplinary Engineering Building’s design further promotes close  participation from students and regional industry.

Boeing alone sponsors  more than 10 projects annually, each involving teams of five students, a  UW professor and a Boeing mentor.

“I’m grateful to Boeing for their support for our new contemporary  educational building, the next milestone in our century-long  relationship,” said Nancy Allbritton, Frank & Julie

Jungers Dean of  the College of Engineering. “It sets a tone for industry engagement with  our students, which translates directly into strong regional economic  growth.  As we

advance a vision of engineering excellence for the public  good, we look forward to expanding our partnership with Boeing and  other local industry for the benefit of our students

and our broader  community.”

The Interdisciplinary Engineering Building’s 70,000-square-foot,  five-level design — east of the Husky Union Building on Stevens Way —  will provide much-needed

interdisciplinary space for project-based  collaborative learning, as well as a student-focused “home” for  engineering undergraduates. By adding the new building, the College of 

Engineering will provide a welcoming and inclusive space to introduce  students to more engineering pathways and facilitate tomorrow’s  discoveries.

Interest in engineering has exploded, and since 2009 the UW has  nearly doubled the number of undergraduate and graduate engineering  degrees, but classroom and activity

space hasn’t kept pace. With the  addition of the new contemporary engineering building to the Seattle  campus, the UW can focus on cross-college multidisciplinary teamwork, 

improved diversity and increased engagement with industry — all to  prepare students for the engineering careers of the future. In addition  to being a home for students, the

building will also serve as the front  door to industry and a direct connection for hiring students with  interdisciplinary skills.

The Interdisciplinary Engineering Building’s architect is  KieranTimberlake, and contractor is Hensel Phelps. Construction is  scheduled to begin this year and be completed by

mid-2024.

Original source can be found here.