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Home > News > Design innovation at Berkeley Engineering

Design innovation at Berkeley Engineering

August 11, 2014

In June 2013, Paul Jacobs, Qualcomm’s executive chairman and three-time Berkeley Engineering alumnus, made a landmark commitment to the university. The $20-million gift launched a new institute to transform the undergraduate educational experience at the College of Engineering. The Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation is creating opportunities for students from across campus to learn design through hands-on projects and team-based learning.

Birds-eye view of planned Jacobs Hall
Floor plan for Jacobs Hall design studio
Students in design lab
Paul Jacobs onstage with Dean Shankar Sastry and former President Bill Clinton
Students at a Jacobs Institute planning session
Student in machine shop
Viewing model and renderings of new building
Student speakers at the Jacobs Hall groundbreaking
Design ambassadors in the CITRIS Invention Lab on Cal Day.
Rendering of Jacobs Hall
Birds-eye view of planned Jacobs Hall
Birds-eye view of planned Jacobs Hall

A new building, under construction on the north side of campus neighboring Soda Hall, will serve as the institute’s main hub. Due to open in fall 2015, Jacobs Hall will feature four floors of studios, flexible learning space and digital fabrication equipment for rapid prototyping.

“Today, it is not enough to provide our future engineering leaders with technical skills,” said Jacobs as he announced the gift from the Paul and Stacy Jacobs Foundation at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative in Chicago. “They must also learn how to work in interdisciplinary teams, how to iterate designs rapidly, how to manufacture sustainably, how to combine art and engineering and how to address global markets.”

To learn more, visit the Jacobs Institute website.

Topics: , College newsDesign
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