In February, Senator John Curtis visited and celebrated Weber State University for their sustainability work. “Weber State University is at the forefront of energy technology innovation. Grateful to President Brad Mortensen and Weber State University leadership for showing me firsthand the cutting-edge sustainability work they’re championing at the Noorda Engineering, Applied Science, and Technology Building,” he posted on LinkedIn after his trip.
Photo Courtesy John Curtis
This sustainability work includes a $50 million, 130,000-square-foot Noorda building which opened in 2022. The building’s classrooms, and engineering and computer labs are primarily devoted to programs from the College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology (EAST). Plus, some space on the second floor is dedicated to the Northern Utah Academy for Math, Engineering, and Science, a high school that aims to prepare students for graduate STEM paths. The funding for this project came from the state and the Ray & Tye Noorda Foundation. Ray Noorda, or the “father of network computing,” was the CEO of networking software company Novell Technology.
Weber State University President Brad Mortensen noted, “The learning and innovation spaces this building provides for our students, faculty, and staff to unleash their creative potential are real game-changers for our programs and the industries we serve. We are so grateful to the Utah State Legislature and the Noorda family for making the dream of this facility become a reality.”
Photo Courtesy VCBO Architecture
Overall, the Noorda building is home to four innovative centers. The Concept Center serves as an engineering research and design think tank, enabling students, faculty, and external companies to collaborate on turning napkin sketches into designs and, eventually, product prototypes. Some projects that received a budget from the center include a solar panel bus stop and a solar picnic table pavilion, a torque tester, and water quality buoys to be deployed in Fish Lake.
Meanwhile, the Center for Technology Outreach offers programs for free or minimal cost across the state for more than 3,000 young people. For example, Mechanical Monday consists of seven engineering challenges in which students turn raw materials into something functional, such as mousetrap-powered cars or miniature catapults.
The National Center for Automotive Science & Technology aims to use education, research, and science to assist the academic, public, private, and regulatory sectors to better understand air quality issues, vehicle emissions, and the technologies to control them. One of the current projects, the Utah Air application, uses the Utah Division of Air Quality’s air quality alert system to inform people about optimal times to spend time outdoors and when they should not burn coal or wood in their fireplaces or stoves.
Many other cutting-edge and innovative projects have been born at Weber State University. For example, in the 2020 Department of Energy Solar Decathlon collegiate competition, a Department of Construction & Building Sciences student group became a Top 10 Finalist with its all-electric, Net-Zero energy home. This was created in partnership with and built on a plot of land donated by Ogden City. Additionally, at the end of last year, the university announced its first field station, which will be located in Yellowstone National Park by the end of 2026, for data collection and research on ecological phenomena.
Video Courtesy WSU EAST
The physical aspects of the Noorda Engineering, Applied Science, and Technology Building match the work within its walls. For example, it was built in the place of the Technical Education building, which was constructed in 1957, using salvaged materials from the structure that used to stand there. With initiatives including adding two solar lots across its campus, the university has cut electricity usage by 25% and natural gas use by 46% since 2007.
Inside, a central community forum lies at the heart of the building, encouraging students to get together, work together, and share their passions. A sculpture called “Between the Currents” features 119 moving origami pieces hanging from the ceiling, giving the appearance of a flowing surface. The university explains on its website, “Invisible forces of nature pass through the sculpture as waves of information, moving elements in gentle harmony as a vector-like flow field. As waves move through the sculpture, elements sometimes move together when forces are aligned, but sometimes move disparately, blooming into unexpected forms of color and shape. In these patterns, we observe the beauty that is created when diverse sets of information converge.” It is all intended to remind students that “the sky is the limit.”
Photo Courtesy Weber State University
