As UNL students returned for the spring semester on Monday the new College of Engineering facility was officially opened. The six-story, privately funded building comes with a $115-million-dollar price tag and is the university’s academic hub for engineering education.
It connects five engineering facilities and is home to the construction management program. It offers a mix of multi-purpose classrooms, instructional labs, engineering student services, maker spaces for student organizations and a large outdoor plaza.
Lance C. Pérez is the dean of engineering and says everything about the design of the 182,000-square-foot building has been purposeful. “Make no mistake, Kiewit Hall is very much an academic building, but some of the design elements reflect the fact that engineering is a professional career. We wanted it to reflect what our students will experience when they graduate, and what corporations and engineering firms are expecting of their employees.”
Perez says the mission of the College of Engineering and its unique Complete Engineer program is to prepare and train qualified professionals and leaders for Nebraska and the nation. “Engineering is a team-based sport now. So, the idea of locking yourself in an office behind a closed door, that’s just not how engineering is,” Pérez said.
“Corporations have realized that and have changed their workplace. Whether it’s Kiewit or Olsson or Garmin or Boeing or any employer, their environments have been adapted to what the profession demands.
(Photo: Craig Chandler University Communication and Marketing)