TCU College of Science & Engineering

12/10/13 11:11 AM

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The Academy of Tomorrow: Changing the future of education

By Jenna Simard, CSE spring communications intern Walk across the east side of TCUs campus and it is obvious that the Universitys landscape is rapidly evolving. TCUs vision for educationThe Academy of Tomorrowis taking dynamic action with the construction of Rees-Jones Hall. Set to open in fall 2014, Rees-Jones Hall will be the first completely interdisciplinary academic building on campus. Since construction started in March 2013, the building has broken University ground and will help TCU break ground in higher education. As the TCU community has grown, the University has developed a need for more academic space. Furthermore, organizations like the Institute of Child Development and the TCU Energy Institute have flourished, their success demanding a need for physical growth as well. Funded by the Rees-Jones Foundations $20 million endowment to the Institute of Child Developmentthe largest commitment to an academic discipline in University historyReesJones Hall will allow these two organizations to continue its outstanding work and for education to continue to thrive at TCU.

CSE Fall 2013 Newsletter

Rees-Jones Hall

Rees-Jones Hall will provide educational facilities across all disciplines at TCU and administrative offices for some of the Universitys most innovative organizations. No college owns it, said Leo Munson, associate provost for academic support. There is no other building on campus like this. The 62,000-square-foot facility will house classrooms, offices, interdisciplinary space and study areas. Connected to the library by twin skybridges, the building will also serve as an extension of library space. Munson said at any given time about 20 percent of the student body will be able to find seating accommodations between the two buildings. Rees-Jones Hall will also serve as the new home to the Institute of Child Development, the TCU Energy Institute and the TCU IdeaFactory, an educational initiative from the College of Science & Engineering aimed at providing TCU undergraduates out-of-the-box experiences in creativity, leadership and entrepreneurship. The first floor will house the Energy Institute, a global seminar room, student collaboration areas and individualized, interactive classrooms equipped with multimedia technology and WallTalker walls. The rooms are designed to be adaptable, Munson said. We dont want the classroom to be tethered. Another interesting feature included on the first floor is an impressive interactive multimedia wall. The wall boast touch-sensitive HD screens that will highlight informational or research-based content, extending academic learning outside the classroom.

http://www.cse.tcu.edu/newsletter/2013-fall-Rees-Jones.asp

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TCU College of Science & Engineering

12/10/13 11:11 AM

Rees-Jones Halls second floor will house additional classrooms, team rooms and student spaces, as well as offices and collaborative areas for the IdeaFactory. Perhaps one of the buildings most novel features, however, takes root on the third floor. Located on the south side of the building, the glass Incubator Lab will serve as an inspiring space where professors and students can collaborate to solve problemsa place where ideas are incubated and research is created. Its pretty avant-garde stuff, Munson said. The third floor will also be home to the Institute of Child Development. With this new posh headquarters, the Institute will have room to continue growing in a space double the size of its current home in Winston-Scott Hall. The offices will include space for conducting the Institutes acclaimed TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) training, for meeting with adoptive families and welcoming the Institutes international visitors. The building will provide space more conducive to the type of work the Institute does, said Dennis Alexander, director of foundation relations. It will allow them to continue to do great workand to make their work even better. Ultimately, Rees-Jones Hall will allow the Institute of Child Development, the Energy Institute and the IdeaFactory to more effectively fulfill their missions. Energy Institute Director Ken Morgan said he is looking forward to operating in a more central location on campus and to expanding educational opportunities in an interactive, interdisciplinary setting. He said the new classroom model will allow the active learning needed for students studying energy to succeed. We need more round-table, active participation, Morgan said. Students are understanding that they can address energy issues and impact our nations future. TCU students are learning to change the world, and the Rees-Jones Hall will help them do so more effectively. With out-of-the-box resources to stimulate interdisciplinary, collaborative education, Rees-Jones Hall provides the TCU community with additional opportunity to tackle real-world problems on a global scale. The Hall is concrete, three-story proof that TCU is on the frontlines of changing the form of education.

Departments & Programs

Biology Chemistry Computer Science Engineering Mathematics Nutritional Sciences Physics and Astronomy Pre-Health Professions Psychology School of Geology, Energy & The Environment

Institutes & Centers

Institute of Child Development Institute for Environmental Studies Center for GIS and Remote Sensing Center for Applied Psychology
Science and Engineering Research Center

Student Research Symposium TCU IdeaFactory Monnig Meteorite Gallery Institute of Behavioral Research Energy Institute

2011-13 Texas Christian University | College of Science & Engineering Suite 102 Tucker Technology Center | TCU Box 298960 | Fort Worth, TX 76129 | Phone: 817.257.7727 | Fax: 817.257.7736

http://www.cse.tcu.edu/newsletter/2013-fall-Rees-Jones.asp

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TCU College of Science & Engineering

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http://www.cse.tcu.edu/newsletter/2013-fall-Rees-Jones.asp

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