Stories

We’ve been speaking for some time in this publication and elsewhere about the many “surge” moves in progress and prospective facing the School of Engineering in preparation for the final move (now promised for fall 2021) into the magnificent new Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation (SCDI). After all of the talking and planning, here is what has happened.

Summer 2018:

• Moved mechanical engineering shops and labs to “The Garage” (at the corner of Benton Street and The Alameda)
• Moved various SoE labs to St. Clare Commons (at the corner of Fremont Street and The Alameda)
• Moved the Engineering Computing Center servers to the Tech Center (in the Learning Commons)

Fall 2018:

• Moved the bioengineering research and teaching labs to Alumni Science Hall and Daly Science Center
• Moved the civil engineering labs to the newly renovated Alameda Hall 601

Christmas Break 2018:

• Moved most SoE faculty and staff offices and teaching and research labs to the newly renovated Heafey-Bergin Complex
• Moved bioengineering faculty and staff offices to newly renovated quarters in 900 Lafayette
• Moved all Engineering Computing Center teaching and research labs to the Heafey-Bergin Complex
• Moved the Center for Nanostructures to newly renovated space in Daly Science Center

With a lot of hard work on everyone’s part, these penultimate moves in preparation for SCDI are now complete. Starting this spring, the SCDI will be constructed on the site occupied by Bannan Hall, Bannan Engineering, the Mechanical Engineering Building, and Bannan Engineering Laboratories (which are currently being razed.)

The University’s Departments of Planning and Projects and Facilities gave their all to ensure that the various new spaces were ready in time, albeit “just in time” in many cases. Not surprisingly, many special issues were involved in moving so many people and all their equipment, furniture, supplies, and personal belongings with very tight time demands. But, thanks to everyone’s engagement and some dedicated professional movers, it all came together and all people and facilities were ready for the start of the Winter Quarter on January 7.

Literally everyone went full out in contributing to this success, but the following individuals were cited by their colleagues for special recognition of efforts “above and beyond” the demands of their formal responsibilities:

• Matthew Blanco, Bioengineering Senior Administrative Assistant, and Daniel Levy, Bioengineering Laboratory Manager – “managed the almost flawless BIOE Surge moves to offices in 900 Lafayette and research and teaching labs in Alumni Science and Daly Science. These moves were characterized by great complexity due not only to the nature of the BIOE labs but also interfacing with professional colleagues from the College of Arts and Sciences already occupying shared laboratory spaces.”
• Lantz Johnson, Engineering Computing Center Manager, and Jason Chong, Windows Systems Administrator – “worked all fall to assure that proper power and communications were ready for use and then supervised the move and installed and tested some 300 computers in 13 labs over the holiday break.”
• Johannes Kahsai, Electrical Engineering Lab Manager – “in addition to significant preparatory work, Johannes spent all of the break between Christmas and New Year’s Day assuring that the EE teaching labs were ready for full operation.”
• Pei-Min (Pam) Lin, Computer Engineering Senior Administrative Assistant - "worked closely with the department faculty and movers to ensure that the move of this department (the largest in the SoE) went very smoothly. Pam stood out as always being there during the break, minimizing the impact of the move on 'her' faculty."
• Donald MacCubbin, Mechanical Engineering Machine Shop Manager – “was critical to the success of the surge move and installation of the MECH Machine Shop to the new Garage Facility.”
• Shaun Snyder, Center for Nanostructures Laboratory Manager – "did excellent work in coordinating the CNS move to its new laboratory in Daly Science. This involved everything from working with project and contract teams, to packing/unpacking sensitive equipment and supplies, and working with movers and vendors for equipment re-installation. Achieving all this in such a short time would not have been possible without Shaun's commitment and hard work."
• Shane Wibeto, Director of Engineering Undergraduate Programs, and Nicole Morales, Director of Digital Media Technologies – “spent weekends and long days all fall in preparation and then were on site almost continually following Christmas to ensure that the move to Heafey-Bergin was complete and ready for classes.”
• Brent Woodcock, Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Lab Manager – “was singularly responsible for organizing the successful move of all CESE department labs and equipment to 601 Alameda as that building was under construction all fall.”

Given the stress associated with any move, the faculty and staff of the School of Engineering are looking forward to settling in to our new quarters. But we are mindful that the two-and-a-half year respite until the fall 2021 target will pass all too quickly.

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