NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma Gallogly College of Engineering has broken ground on a new Infrastructure Innovation Building called I2B. This new facility will house transformative infrastructure research and education.
“We aim to bring together brilliant minds in engineering and artificial intelligence to collaborate on projects with the potential to transform transportation, enhancing safety and efficiency,” said Zahed Siddique, associate dean for research at the college.
The building on the south campus in Norman will also include dedicated areas for advanced mobility and energy storage, with labs focused on both research and education. The initial phase of the project will create approximately 20,000 square feet of space, with the potential for significant expansion.
According to John Klier, dean of the College of Engineering, I2B will help the college support a world-class faculty and attract exceptional students, fostering an environment that nurtures the growth of new technologies and new businesses in Oklahoma. “These research efforts will make significant contributions to student preparation and economic growth. We appreciate support from the state of Oklahoma and Dolese making these efforts possible,” Klier said.
The facility’s design will promote interdisciplinary collaboration across various sectors, with specialized labs dedicated to the research of unmanned vehicles, intelligent transportation systems and energy storage systems. As the infrastructure field evolves, I2B will provide the tools necessary to develop next-generation technologies.
Collaborations across the university, from architecture, arts and sciences, earth and energy, education, and atmospheric and geographic sciences and others, will explore finding solutions to the nation’s transportation challenges and will serve as a hub for innovative solutions for adaptive and cutting-edge infrastructure.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) has awarded the University of Oklahoma a $25 million grant to help construct a new OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center facility in Tulsa, a project that will house the newly named TSET Clinical Research Center and significantly expand access to clinical trials and cancer care in the region.
Mike Banad, a researcher with the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Defense to pursue the development of advanced materials that could shape the future of energy-efficient electronics and photonics.
A new partnership between the University of Oklahoma School of Music and the Norman-based nonprofit SunHive Collective is giving OU students hands-on experience working with young adults with special needs, an opportunity that music education faculty member Melissa Baughman, Ph.D., calls “pure joy.”
