UTSA dedicates Applied Engineering and Technology Building March 10

New Applied Engineering and Technology Building, UTSA Main Campus

By Christi Fish
Public Affairs Specialist

(March 5, 2010)--At 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 10, UTSA will take another step in its growth to Tier One status with the dedication of the $82.5 million, 145,440-square-foot Applied Engineering and Technology (AET) Building. The dedication, which is free and open to the public, will be at the outdoor plaza between the AET and Biosciences buildings on the Main Campus.

Special guests at the dedication will include Francisco Cigarroa, chancellor of the University of Texas System; Bartell Zachry, chairman of Zachry Holdings; and state Sen. Judith Zaffirini.

"The Applied Engineering and Technology Building is a dream come true for UTSA and our students," said UTSA President Ricardo Romo. "As UTSA continues to evolve into a Tier One research university, technologically advanced facilities like the AET Building are crucial in supporting collaboration between students and faculty in both the laboratory and the classroom."

The AET Building was designed to support world-class research and teaching in science and engineering. The four-floor facility includes 87 faculty offices, 36 laboratories, five classrooms and collaborative study niches. The ground floor includes classroom and laboratory space. Faculty from the College of Engineering's biomedical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and mechanical engineering departments will primarily occupy laboratory and office space on the first and second floors. The College of Sciences' Department of Physics and Astronomy will occupy the third floor.

Ultra-modern features characterize UTSA's new research building. In student study areas, whiteboards on wheels serve as privacy screens while enabling group discussions. Department meeting spaces are equipped with Internet-ready smart boards that can be hooked up to laptops and used to record and recall discussion notes. Classrooms feature glass fronts, contemporary furniture and advanced digital equipment. The building's laboratory stools were chosen because they provide the least amount of physical strain to researchers, who often work at laboratory benches for hours on end.

The AET Building also houses UTSA's first satellite library. The bookless library was designed with engineering and science students in mind. On the building's paseo level, the 2,200-square-foot facility is near laboratories and classrooms and features moveable dividers to create spaces for collaborative and individual study. The satellite library has digital monitors and whiteboards to aid group projects, along with 12 computer stations and librarians to assist students in finding information they need. There will be tours of the satellite library after the AET Building dedication ceremony. The library facility will be fully equipped and open for business by the end of April.

The AET Building was designed by San Antonio architectural firm Garza-Bomberger, engineered by Austin-based HMG and Associates and constructed by general contractor Walbridge/Bartlett Cocke. Additionally, UTSA alumni in engineering and architecture worked on the project, which was funded by the Permanent University Fund and tuition revenue bonds.

>> To learn more about the UTSA Applied Engineering and Technology Building or to schedule a behind-the-scenes tour of the building, contact Christi Fish at 210-458-7584.

-----------------------------

Event parking

Exit Interstate 10 at UTSA Boulevard (west) and turn right into the UTSA Main Campus on Edward Ximenez Avenue. Parking will be available on the right in lot 6, adjacent to the Applied Engineering and Technology and Biosciences buildings and South Parking Garage.