$12.2 million in funding announced today by Commerce Department, media invited to hear details of project
RENO, Nev. – The University of Nevada, Reno has been awarded $12.2 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology, it was announced today. This will fund the major portion of an expansion of the world-renowned earthquake engineering lab where, for the past 25 years, researchers have conducted successful experiments of building and testing large-scale buildings and bridges to advance seismic safety.
Center for Civil Engineering Earthquake Research. Credit: BJG, Architecture and Engineering, Reno NV
The expanded facility, more than double in size, will house the largest and most versatile earthquake simulation laboratory in the United States. The $18 million project also received funds from the Department of Energy last year to finance the initial phase of construction of the 23,000-square-foot project, which is scheduled to begin in October.
The University was one of only five research facilities nationwide that received grant money, funded through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The project will create short-term construction jobs and have a positive long-term employment and economic impact through other agency and private industry projects.
“This expansion is a major accomplishment that will make us more competitive and productive,” Manos Maragakis, dean of the College of Engineering, said. “Our facility will be unique worldwide and, combined with the excellence of our faculty and students, will allow us to have even greater contributions to the seismic safety of our state, the nation and the world.”
WHO: Ian Buckle, director of the Center for Civil Engineering Earthquake Research, and Manos Maragakis, dean of the College of Engineering will make comments and be available for interview.
WHAT: Major funding for earthquake engineering research laboratory expansion
WHERE: Harry Reid Engineering Laboratory – Large-Scale Structures lab, at the Center for Civil Engineering Earthquake Research (CCEER)
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010
WHY: To announce funding and project details.
NOTE: Remarks begin at 12:30 p.m. with Q&A to follow and one-on-one interviews available.
Parking: Available at the facility on the ramp leading to the large roll-up door of the James E. Rogers and Louis Wiener Large Scale Structures Laboratory. This can be accessed via the southeast campus entrance at Record and Evans streets and driving north past the Davidson Mathematics and Science Center.
# # #
Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of more than 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit www.unr.edu .
Mike Wolterbeek
Media Relations Officer
University Media Relations
University of Nevada, Reno/108
Reno, NV 89557
mwolterbeek@unr.edu
775-784-4547 phone
775-784-1422 fax
PDF 
