New $25-million engineering building will focus on future technologies
October 13, 2004
OSHAWA, Ont. - The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) will break ground next spring on a $25-million engineering building, continuing its rapid pace of expansion and its commitment to students and academic excellence.
Designed by the award-winning, international firm, Diamond + Schmitt Architects Inc., the brand new facility will offer students state-of-the-art equipment and the opportunity to gain relevant, hands-on experience. The three-storey complex will feature 38 academic offices and 17 labs, including a rapid prototyping and manufacturing lab, a combustion and engines lab, a mechatronics lab, and an emerging energy systems lab with solar, wind, hydrogen and fuel-cell technology.
"The equipment has been carefully selected to educate students about technologies of the future," said Dr. Marc Rosen, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. "This will be a showcase for undergraduate engineering education when it opens in the summer of 2006."
Campus expansion has occurred quickly since 2002, when UOIT became Ontario's newest university. A new library opened this fall, along with a new Business and Information Technology Building and the second phase of the UOIT Science Building.
The 40,000-square-foot engineering building will be located on the Oshawa campus immediately west of the university's new library, at the southwest corner of Founders Drive and the Avenue of Champions. The facility is designed primarily to serve students in UOIT's undergraduate engineering programs and some applied science programs. Graduate programs are currently being developed.
"This facility will be a great place for students to learn and will prepare them for exciting careers," added Dr. Rosen "It will be a superb addition to our innovative university."
The University of Ontario Institute of Technology currently offers four core engineering programs: Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Energy Systems Engineering, and Nuclear Engineering. Three new programs are planned for the 2005-2006 academic year - Automotive Engineering, Software Engineering and Electrical Engineering. The new building will also accommodate students in the university's Radiation Science program.
About the University of Ontario Institute of Technology
As the province's newest university, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology provides a unique combination of academic knowledge, vibrant student life, leading-edge research, and hands-on skills. The university offers career-focused undergraduate degree programs in the fields of business and information technology, health sciences, social science, applied science, the pure sciences, engineering, and education. It is also developing leading-edge research and graduate programs, and is Ontario's first laptop-based university. Sharing selected services with Durham College, UOIT welcomed its first students in September 2003. To find out more, visit http://uoit.ca or call 1.866.844.8648.
About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.
Media contact
John Schofield
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.8668, ext. 2162
John.Schofield@uoit.ca
