Construction for the new engineering building, located near the CEED building on the University of Texas Permian Basin Midland campus, is on target to meet the rapidly changing Permian Basin need for a technically competent, well trained and knowledgeable workforce.
The $55 million three-story engineering facility will house the newly established College of Engineering, approved by the UT System Board of Regents on Aug. 24. Construction began in late April and is projected to conclude in April 2019.
The building will include 105,801 gross square feet and 63,480 assignable square feet that will include space for classrooms, instructional labs, research, administrative offices and student support services. The third floor will be a business incubator and maker space.
The new UTPB College of Engineering will foster a rigorous and collaborative academic environment that demands excellence, encourages innovative education and supports ground-breaking discovery.
“Engineering is one of our fastest growing programs,” said Sandra Woodley, president of UTPB. “We now have over 600 students who are either in or feeding to our engineering program. Soon, pending approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board later this month, we will be adding Chemical and Electrical Engineering.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dan Heimmermann said a worldwide search will be conducted for the faculty in electrical and chemical engineering.
“A search also will be launched soon for a dean of the College of Engineering. From the discussions we’ve had with industry leaders in the Permian Basin, this is a region that produces a third of the nation’s oil and gas,” Woodley added. “There are a lot of growth and investments here for what we produce, so it’s our intention that this engineering program
“We think as the only four-year institution here in the Permian Basin, we have a responsibility to provide strong support for our local community and we’re excited about the opportunity to partner with our industry leaders to produce the graduates that we need for these programs,” she added.
First 5 Program Helps Prepare Children for School
The University of Texas Permian Basin is stepping up to answer a critical need in the community – make sure all children are ready for school.