MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
One year after opening, the William N. Pennington Engineering Building is fulfilling its promise to create new opportunities for student engagement, world-improving research.
Promise Fulfilled: A look inside the William N. Pennington Engineering Building
Promise Fulfilled: A look inside the William N. Pennington Engineering Building
100,000 square feet
40 laboratories
Large-scale computer laboratory
150 graduate workstations
ISO-5 (Class 100) Cleanroom
Then Governor of the State of Nevada, now University President Brian Sandoval ’86 (English) with members of the Wolf Pack Racing team—Brett Ahlers, Spencer Cole, Griffin Pierce, Kyle Mittlyng, Henry Rendler and Kaycee Smith—at the groundbreaking ceremony for the William N. Pennington Engineering Building in 2018.
College of Engineering Dean Manos Maragakis during the August 25, 2020 opening ceremony for the 100,000-square-foot facility. “The College of Engineering is committed to providing students a globally competitive engineering education, conducting innovative, cutting-edge research and engaging with the community,” Dean Maragakis said. “This building propels these goals forward and contributes to the vitality of our region, our nation and our world.”
Senior Jerren Bailey works in the laboratory of Assistant Professor Rashed Khan in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, and as a result of her experience, she has been named an ACS Scholar.
140 Laboratories
The William N. Pennington Engineering Building has 40 laboratories, providing additional lab spaces for each of the five departments in the College of Engineering. These facilities enhance existing research programs while enabling new efforts. Students work alongside faculty members on cutting-edge research in projects ranging in scope from the nano-scale to earthquake engineering simulations designed to inform sustainable building techniques.
In the environmental engineering laboratory of Foundation Professor, Ralph E. and Rose A. Hoeper Engineering Professor and Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Chair Krishna Pagilla, researchers conduct wastewater testing to determine the prevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the Truckee Meadows community. Grants to support his work have totaled $3.3 million and counting.
Electrical & Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Josette El Zaklit is researching new, non-invasive, highly focused electrostimulation technologies for neuromodulation. Here, she uses a Leica STELLARIS, laser confocal scanning microscope to enhance her research capabilities and sustain the growth and development of DoD- and NIH-related research; Team EBME-14 works on their Senior Capstone Project, Luna.
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering Assistant Professor Maryam Raeeszadeh-Sarmazdeh’s research laboratory has students from diverse backgrounds performing interdisciplinary research in biomolecular engineering to solve important health, biomedical and energy issues; Senior and ACS Scholar Jerren Bailey works in the laboratory of Assistant Professor Rashed Khan.
Mechanical engineering graduate student Florian McLelland and Assistant Professor Floris van Breugel have modified a pair of skis to take readings on snow as riders ski over it in order to produce a model of the snow's characteristics; Mechanical Engineering Assistant Professor Aditya Nair (left) and his students helped refine a COVID Risk Meter designed to help hospitals attain appropriate staffing levels.
The third and fourth floors house the Department of Computer Science & Engineering. The new space has increased the department’s footprint from 13,000 square feet to 23,000 square feet and has brought all of its research labs under one roof, thereby facilitating collaboration and allowing the department to continue to develop its growing tradition of excellence; Betta Manalo works in the lab of Associate Professor David Feil-Seifer.
Department of Electrical & Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor Jeongwon Park’s research in the University of Nevada, Reno College of Engineering Davidson Foundation ISO-5 (Class 100) Cleanroom ranges from biomedicine to advanced manufacturing.
The University of Nevada, Reno College of Engineering Davidson Foundation ISO-5 (Class 100) Cleanroom
Supported by a mechanical room with 10 independent air and water systems, the cleanroom is a carefully calibrated and maintained laboratory that reduces air contaminants from an average of between 500,000 and 1,000,000 parts per cubic foot in ordinary indoor spaces down to 100. This degree of air purity is unmatched by publicly available laboratories in the state of Nevada, and it is essential for cutting-edge research in biosensing, nanotechnology and advanced manufacturing.
This cleanroom will allow us to build a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary research laboratory, which will in turn allow the University to emerge as one of the premier world institutes in nano/micro electronics and nanotechnology-enabled research. The cleanroom will allow my research group to fabricate nanoelectronic devices, and conduct fundamental materials research, thereby creating a novel platform for nanotechnology-enabled nanoelectronics and sensors.
Jeongwon Park
Associate Professor, Department of Electrical & Biomedical Engineering
The strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.
Facilitating Collaboration
In addition to collaboration rooms throughout the building where students are invited to work on projects together, the new building features 150 graduate student workstations. These workstations provide students with dedicated spaces to pursue research independently and in collaboration with their peers. And when they need assistance, professors are always nearby.
TAKE A TOUR
Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering Chair Jeffrey LaCombe gives a tour of some of the highlights of the William N. Pennington Engineering Building.
Donor Support
Contributions from the state and from capital fees were essential to the $91.8 million William N. Pennington Engineering Building, and the vision would not have been possible without key gifts from donors. On behalf of the College of Engineering, thank you!
William N. Pennington Foundation
Bretzlaff Foundation
Clarence & Martha Jones Family Foundation
Leonard & Sara Lafrance
Nevada Gold Mines
NV Energy Foundation
Nell J. Redfield Foundation
University of Nevada, Reno Foundation
The Family of Professor Jim Carlson
Clipper Unitrust
E.L. Cord Foundation
Davidson Foundation
Jerry & Roxie Enneking
Stuart Feigin
Gardner Family
Roxie & Azad Joseph Foundation
Estelle J. Kelsey Foundation
Robert S. & Dorothy J. Keyser Foundation
Mallory Foundation
Nevada Chapter, Associated General Contractors
Richard & Assunta Natucci Reynolds
William C. Rose
Candice A. Bauer
Edna B. & Bruno Benna Foundation
Brian Lent & Jennifer Brzana
Louis J. & Genevieve G. Capurro Foundation
Jeff & Rhonda Ceccarelli
Elliott Group
Kenneth & Victoria Krater
Casey Kreck
Charlotte & Dick McConnell
Millard G. Reed
David & Deborah Richwood
Sierra Angels
From Vision to Reality
From vision to reality, the William N. Pennington Engineering Building was made possible thanks to its many generous donors. Thank you!
Nevada Engineering | Fall 2021
The stories of the students and faculty in the College of Engineering who are making a world of difference through their research, outreach and service.