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Home > News > Opening Jacobs Hall
Paul Jacobs at Jacobs Hall opening

Opening Jacobs Hall

Fall 2015 Berkeley Engineer
November 1, 2015
This article appeared in Berkeley Engineer magazine, Fall 2015
  • In this issue

    Features

    Sophie’s super hand

    Microscopic hearts

    Heavy lifting

    CellScope in Cameroon

    Dean’s Word

    Upfront

    • Still shakin’ it
    • Open letter on AI
    • Opening Jacobs Hall
    • Fortifying breast milk
    • Transit trends
    • Q+A with BRETT

    Breakthroughs

    • Origin science
    • GMOs on lockdown
    • Light-speed genetics
    • Print and plug
    • Radioactive wrecks?

    Alumni notes

    • Toy tinkerer makes good
    • Spider-inspired silken threads
    • Farewell

    Download this issue

  • Past issues
David Dornfeld speaks at Jacobs Hall opening
David Dornfeld, newly appointed faculty director of the Jacobs Institute. (Photos by Noah Berger)
Enhanced-reality glasses built by Jacobs Institute students
Trying on augmented-reality glasses
Drawing robots created by Jacobs Institute students
Child playing with drawing robots
Turntable designed by Jacobs Institute students
Student demonstrating a turntable-powered invention for visitors
Rocking chair built by Jacobs Institute students
Trying out a student-designed automated rocking chair

Days before the start of the fall semester, the Berkeley Engineering community held a public celebration to mark the opening of Jacobs Hall, headquarters of the Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation.

This semester, more than 1,300 students are taking classes or participating in other activities in Jacobs Hall. The capabilities of the new building offer faculty the opportunity to develop new courses. This fall, 22 courses are being taught in Jacobs Hall, including a freshman seminar called “How It’s Made” and a competition course called “The Challenge Lab,” in which students create innovative products serving a social cause.

Jacobs Hall offers 24,000 square feet of studios and maker spaces for classes and projects in digital design, prototyping, fabrication and manufacturing. The $25 million building was funded entirely by philanthropy.

Topics: College news, Design
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