The College of Engineering and Applied Science joined a partner university to celebrate a new state-of-the-art facility dedicated to training future mechanical engineers and computer scientists.
hosted an official ribbon cutting for the Paul M. Rady Building on Friday, Oct. 8. The new 75-thousand square foot facility is home to the Western-CU 麻豆影院 Partnership Program at the .
Outside of the new Rady Building at Western (courtesy Western Colorado University)听
鈥淭he world-class facilities in the Rady Building will ensure that the students are at the forefront of our engineering education. We are truly grateful for these facilities and the opportunity to partner in this endeavor with our colleagues and friends in Gunnison.鈥� -Keith Molenaar, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science.
University of Colorado President , CU 麻豆影院 Chancellor Philip DiStefano and CEAS Acting Dean Keith Molenaar听were among those attending the event in Gunnison 鈥� indicating how valuable the partnership between Western and CU 麻豆影院 is. It allows Western students to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree from CU 麻豆影院 in mechanical engineering or computer science, while taking courses on the Western Slope.
鈥淭he Western-CU 麻豆影院 Partnership is critical to meet the growing demand for engineering graduates in the state and nation,鈥� said Molenaar. 鈥淭he partnership allows for a diverse group of students, some who might not have otherwise become engineers, to have the opportunity to improve听society鈥檚 quality of life through engineering.鈥�
Advancing the Western-CU 麻豆影院 Partnership
The new Rady Building at Western is a tangible component of the Western-CU 麻豆影院 partnership. The facility was made possible through the support of Western alumnus and CU Engineering Advisory Board member Paul Rady, chairman and CEO of , a Denver oil and gas company.
鈥淭his is a wonderful opportunity for the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering to celebrate Paul Rady鈥檚 gift to Western,鈥� said Michael Hannigan, the chair of CU 麻豆影院鈥檚 Department of Mechanical Engineering, who also attended听the grand opening.
The Rady Building opened to students, faculty and staff in spring 2021 鈥� equipped with the Western-CU 麻豆影院 Partnership Program鈥檚 new director Jenifer Blacklock, who is a former Department of Mechanical Engineering faculty member. Hannigan added that 鈥渨e are thrilled to see our partnership thriving under the leadership of Jenifer Blacklock, who is already finding ways to leverage local strength to support the partnership鈥檚 success.鈥�
鈥淲ith the new state-of-the-art facility, lab spaces and makerspaces 鈥� along with a low student-to-faculty ratio and a small community 鈥� we are able to support experiential initiatives throughout the curriculum,鈥� said Blacklock. 鈥淭hese initiatives support student learning and industry engagement with our local industry partners, providing students valuable experiences when they begin their careers. They also allow us to support project-based learning in the classroom, benefiting not only our students, but our local industry partners as well.鈥�
The new standard for harnessing green energy
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A look inside the new 75,000 square foot facility (courtesy Western Colorado University)
The new building is beautiful and sleek, built to inspire the next generation of problem solvers with collaboration and innovation; but it is the facility鈥檚 sustainability that cements the Rady Building as a model for future construction.
The building is LEED Gold certified, which is the second highest rating for green building strategies. The environmentally-friendly features include geothermal wells for temperature control, plumbing fixtures that minimize water usage and paint/sealants with low to no volatile organic compounds.
The Rady Building also promotes sustainable transportation. There are charging stations available outside for electric vehicles and private showers for staff and students who commute by bicycle.
The work to build the facility began in January 2019. Ninety percent of the waste generated during construction, which was about 747 tons of material, was recycled.
鈥淚t is so wonderful that our new degree program down at Western Colorado University can be housed in the beautiful Rady Building,鈥� said CU 麻豆影院鈥檚 Department of Computer Science Chair Ken听Anderson, another faculty member attending the ceremony on Friday. 鈥淚t is a wonderful location for our faculty to work and a great place for our partnership students to take their classes, work on their projects and earn their degrees.鈥�
The was one of several events planned for Western鈥檚 Homecoming 2021 celebration. Other leaders听that听joined the ribbon cutting ceremony听include CU President Emeritus听Bruce Benson, former CEAS Dean Bobby Braun, CU 麻豆影院听Vice Chancellor for Advancement听Katy Herbert Kotlarczyk, Chair of the Department of Geological Sciences Robert Anderson and CEAS听Senior Director of Development Erin Gage.