Dear Colleagues,
The semester is flying by, and as finals quickly approach, I am pleased to report on our successful year.
What a joy it’s been to see the return of bustling classrooms and hallways, hands-on laboratories, and student events and competitions. It’s just this collaborative and vibrant environment that is so critically important to enabling the innovation that happens here in the Voiland College.
In this newsletter, we are pleased to report on some of our research breakthroughs, such as a nanomaterials-engineered penetrating sealer that can better protect concrete from salt and water; work with a Tacoma-based start-up company on a personal, electric flying machine; and an AI algorithm to find optimal nanomaterials. We also celebrate several significant student and faculty successes, such as the NASA’s prestigious Artemis award and top prizes at the annual Associated Schools of Construction competition.
Our faculty and students work collaboratively on many of these projects to address critical societal problems – sometimes for years at a time. The results that you find here have taken a tremendous amount of patience, hard work, long hours, and attention to detail, and we’re so proud of the work that they do.
Finally, I am excited to report on our efforts in revitalizing the engineering and design precinct on the Pullman campus. These facilities promise to provide an innovation hub for our faculty, staff, and students that will truly reflect the importance of the college’s impact on the world. Our first building is set to focus on student success and will support an interdisciplinary community in which students can further their knowledge and skills through better access to resources, advanced technologies, and collaboration spaces. We began our fundraising efforts in the fall of 2021 and are tremendously encouraged by the generosity of individuals and companies that are helping us reach our fundraising goals.
As you know, you, our alumni and donors, remain critical to our success in our endeavors. I look forward to continuing our work together and invite you to contact me to learn how you can help.
As always, thank you for your support of the Voiland College, and Go Cougs!
Mary Rezac
Dean, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99163
mary.rezac@wsu.edu
509-335-5593