SECCM Labs Will Open for the Spring Semester

BRISTOL, R.I. – With the start of the spring semester comes the opening of the new SECCM labs building, a cutting-edge facility that will deliver students unique hands-on learning on the latest industry tools and technology, such as navigating through a 3D model of a building’s electrical and plumbing systems across a 28-foot-wide LED display and rigging steel structures with the power of a massive overhead traveling crane.

Construction is wrapping up over the next few weeks on SECCM Labs, a 27,000-square-foot, three-story, state-of-the-art laboratory building located in the heart of the Bristol campus, adjacent to the current School of Engineering, Computing and Construction Management (SECCM). Courses will begin being offered inside the facility on Jan. 22, the first day of classes for the spring semester.

“We are excited for the opening of SECCM Labs, which will enable our students to work with the very best tools and technology inside laboratories and project rooms dedicated to applied and experiential education,” said RWU SECCM Dean Robert Potter.

Every aspect of SECCM Labs has been leveraged as a hands-on learning experience, from students going behind the scenes to observe the construction process to the innovative building design. Its completion now makes it a hub of experiential learning opportunities, including an Electrical Engineering Lab, Mechanics of Materials Lab, Engineering Fabrication Lab, Construction Methods & Materials Lab, Fluid Mechanics Lab, Computer Science Software Experimentation Lab CM Emerging Technology Lab, dedicated student project rooms and lounges that provide a space for students to work and build community. With many of its labs encased in glass windows or, in the case of the fabrication lab, featuring an overlook balcony, students and visitors will be able to observe lessons as they take place. Capitalizing on its position in the center of campus, SECCM Labs also boasts towering windows with views of the quad, Mount Hope Bridge and the bay.

Over the past month, Deb Watts, project manager Shawmut Design & Construction has managed a daily 50-member crew from a dozen different trades to complete construction on time and on budget, according to RWU Capital Projects Director William Seymour.

Thanks to the support of 146 donors, the university has raised $4,713,516 to date for the project cost. The SECCM Labs Campaign, led by Trustees Todd Rechler ’93 and Joseph Brito P’11, is the largest capital fundraising campaign in the history of RWU.

“We are very fortunate that so many alumni, parents, foundations and corporations have provided gifts of all sizes to help us bring this new laboratory building to fruition,” Brito said. “This collective effort is a testament to the RWU community’s commitment to providing the facilities and resources for our students to excel.”

On Friday, Jan. 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the campus community is invited to a welcome reception at SECCM Labs, featuring remarks, tours of the building and light snacks and beverages. The official building dedication will be held on Friday, April 24, during a university-wide, week-long celebration that will include the inauguration of President Miaoulis as RWU’s 11th president.

For more information on the ongoing SECCM Labs Campaign, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at (401) 254-3404.