12/10/13 11:11 AMTCU College of Science & Engineering

Page 1 of 3http://www.cse.tcu.edu/newsletter/2013-fall-Rees-Jones.asp

Rees-Jones Hall

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CSE Fall 2013 Newsletter

The Academy of Tomorrow: Changingthe future of education By Jenna Simard, CSE spring communications intern Walk across the east side of TCU’s campus and it is obvious that the University’s landscape is rapidlyevolving. TCU’s vision for education—The Academy of Tomorrow—is taking dynamic action with theconstruction of Rees-Jones Hall. Set to open in fall 2014, Rees-Jones Hall will be the first completely interdisciplinary academic buildingon campus. Since construction started in March 2013, the building has broken University ground and willhelp TCU break ground in higher education.

As the TCU community has grown,the University has developed a needfor more academic space.Furthermore, organizations like theInstitute of Child Development andthe TCU Energy Institute haveflourished, their success demanding aneed for physical growth as well. Funded by the Rees-JonesFoundation’s $20 million endowmentto the Institute of ChildDevelopment—the largestcommitment to an academicdiscipline in University history—Rees-Jones Hall will allow these twoorganizations to continue itsoutstanding work and for educationto continue to thrive at TCU.

Rees-Jones Hall will provide educational facilities across all disciplines at TCU and administrative officesfor some of the University’s 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 seatingaccommodations between the two buildings. Rees-Jones Hall will also serve as the new home to the Institute of Child Development, the TCU EnergyInstitute and the TCU IdeaFactory, an educational initiative from the College of Science & Engineeringaimed at providing TCU undergraduates out-of-the-box experiences in creativity, leadership andentrepreneurship. The first floor will house the Energy Institute, a global seminar room, student collaboration areas andindividualized, interactive classrooms equipped with multimedia technology and WallTalker walls. “Therooms are designed to be adaptable,” Munson said. “We don’t want the classroom to be tethered.” Another interesting feature included on the first floor is an impressive interactive multimedia wall. Thewall boast touch-sensitive HD screens that will highlight informational or research-based content,extending academic learning outside the classroom.

12/10/13 11:11 AMTCU College of Science & Engineering

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Rees-Jones Hall’s second floor will house additional classrooms, team rooms and student spaces, as wellas offices and collaborative areas for the IdeaFactory. Perhaps one of the building’s most novel features, however, takes root on the third floor. Located on thesouth side of the building, the glass “Incubator Lab” will serve as an inspiring space where professorsand students can collaborate to solve problems—a place where ideas are incubated and research iscreated. “It’s 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 currenthome in Winston-Scott Hall. The offices will include space for conducting the Institute’s acclaimed TBRI®(Trust-Based Relational Intervention®) training, for meeting with adoptive families and welcoming theInstitute’s international visitors. “The building will provide space more conducive to the type of work the Institute does,” said DennisAlexander, director of foundation relations. “It will allow them to continue to do great work—and to maketheir work even better.” Ultimately, Rees-Jones Hall will allow the Institute of Child Development, the Energy Institute and theIdeaFactory to more effectively fulfill their missions. Energy Institute Director Ken Morgan said he islooking forward to operating in a more central location on campus and to expanding educationalopportunities in an interactive, interdisciplinary setting. He said the new classroom model will allow theactive learning needed for students studying energy to succeed. “We need more round-table, active participation,” Morgan said. “Students are understanding that theycan address energy issues and impact our nation’s future.” TCU students are learning to change the world, and the Rees-Jones Hall will help them do so moreeffectively. With out-of-the-box resources to stimulate interdisciplinary, collaborative education, Rees-Jones Hallprovides 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 Institutes & Centers

Biology

Chemistry

Computer Science

Engineering

Mathematics

Nutritional Sciences

Physics and Astronomy

Pre-Health Professions

Psychology

School of Geology, Energy & The Environment

Institute of Child Development

Institute for Environmental Studies

Center for GIS and Remote Sensing

Center for Applied PsychologyScience and Engineering Research Center

Student Research Symposium

TCU IdeaFactory

Monnig Meteorite Gallery

Institute of Behavioral Research

Energy Institute

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12/10/13 11:11 AMTCU College of Science & Engineering

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