Southern Polytechnic State University’s New $30M Engineering Technology Center to Open

MARIETTA, Ga. — Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU)   President Lisa A. Rossbacher and other dignitaries will cut the ribbon to open SPSU’s new $30 million Engineering Technology Center (ETC) on Tuesday, Jan. 11.

Lee Rhyant, the recently retired executive vice president and Marietta site general manager for Lockheed Martin, will deliver remarks to assembled faculty, staff, students, alumni and guests inside the building following the ribbon-cutting.

SPSU is the only public university in Georgia offering a degree in mechatronics engineering — the integration of mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines with an infusion of computer science and software engineering. The ETC will house this program, in addition to all of the other engineering and engineering technology programs in SPSU’s School of Engineering Technology & Management and Division of Engineering. All told, SPSU offers a total of 13 undergraduate engineering and engineering technology degree programs, and three graduate engineering and engineering technology programs.

In addition to classrooms, faculty offices, computer labs and an auditorium, the three-story, 120,000 square foot structure features a large number of highly specialized spaces: an energy/HVAC lab, a fluid mechanics lab, a strength-of-materials lab, a metrology lab, an electromagnetics lab, a computer-integrated manufacturing lab, an automotive lab, engineering graphics labs, a biomedical lab and a machine shop, to name a few.

The campus’ newest facility, designed by architect Cooper Carry, sports a striking light show in the main lobby and is on track to receive silver-level LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, as are all recent additions to the SPSU campus.

Students will begin attending classes and labs in the new facility with the start of the spring semester on Jan. 10.

At Southern Polytechnic State University, students study the sciences and technologies in a unique, practical manner, as they pursue an education that is career-based and well balanced. SPSU is a residential, co-educational member of the University System of Georgia with approximately 5,500 students who study on the 198 acres of naturally wooded landscape in the historic and vibrant city of Marietta (just 20 minutes from downtown Atlanta). SPSU, through a fusion of technology with the liberal arts and sciences, creates a learning community that encourages thoughtful inquiry, diverse perspectives and strong preparation of graduates to be leaders in an increasingly technological world.

SOURCE Southern Polytechnic State University