State legislators and University of Texas leadership joined Cockrell School Dean Sharon L. Wood and hundreds of alumni, friends, corporate supporters and members of the Texas Engineering community to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Engineering Education and Research Center (EERC).
View photos from the EERC Groundbreaking Celebration
"This ceremony marks the beginning of a new era in engineering education at UT Austin," Wood said. "The EERC will be a game changer for the Cockrell School, enabling us to improve what is already one of the top engineering programs in the country and creating more opportunities for our students and faculty to change the world."
Special guests UT System Chancellor William McRaven and UT Austin President Bill Powers, along with Student Engineering Council President Anuj Kudva, shared remarks about the importance of the building and its role in advancing engineering education in the state of Texas.
Opening in 2017, the EERC will serve as a meeting and learning space for more than 7,700 engineering students and 80 student organizations. It will also be the new home for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
More than 280 Texas Engineering supporters contributed over $65 million to the EERC — the most ever raised for a building at UT Austin.
"This 430,000-square-foot facility will transform the Cockrell School and enhance the learning experiences for all of our students," Wood said. "This is truly a historic day for The University of Texas at Austin and the state of Texas."
