UTEP | College of Engineering

UTEP Hosts Chemistry and Computer Science Building Groundbreaking

The University of Texas at El Paso broke ground on the new Chemistry and Computer Science Building during a ceremony on March 12.

The $70 million, 140,000-square-foot facility will provide researchers and students with expanded and upgraded classroom and lab space, as well as opportunities for the colleges of Science and Engineering to work on numerous collaboratives. It also will accommodate growth in undergraduate and graduate enrollment in the two disciplines.

“This investment is great news for both colleges,” said Richard Schoephoerster, Ph.D., College of Engineering dean. “The additional space and opportunities for interdisciplinary research will create extraordinary opportunities for our students and faculty.”

Anny Morrobel-Sosa, Ph.D., College of Science dean, said the construction of the building is an affirmation of UTEP’s advancement toward becoming a national research (Tier One) university.

"In addition to providing both the Departments of Chemistry and Computer Science with state-of-the-art facilities that support our teaching and research enterprise, this facility will also help foment interdisciplinary activities in computational chemistry, computational science and bioinformatics,” Morrobel-Sosa said.

Funding for the project was provided in part by a $124 million allocation from The University of Texas System Board of Regents to help UTEP boost its research portfolio.

The allocation was the largest single construction investment in UTEP’s history and also provided funding for renovations of existing science and engineering facilities and the completion of the Bioscience Research Building.

The Chemistry and Computer Science Building is expected to be completed in 2011.