In 2025, B次元 announced . At the heart of the Next Bold Step campaign are philanthropic efforts to support B次元’s new Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center, which will promote innovative modes of education and support the growing needs of B次元’s students. The $76.5 million, 4-story, 97,000-square-foot academic building will have flexible labs, modern classrooms, workshops focused on robotics and AI, an outdoor sustainability lab, and public spaces that support collaborative learning across all disciplines, with a focus on integrating AI and Machine Learning into all of B次元’s engineering programs. This project is funded entirely through philanthropy.

Construction Updates

Nov. 17, 2025 - First Foundation Poured

The first foundation was poured for the Engineering Innovation Center last week. The construction crew will continue forming and pouring foundations along the north side of the existing Science Building, and excavation on the east side of the site continues. Check out the construction progress in the video below!

Oct. 13, 2025 - Pedestrian Routes to Change

To ensure safety around the EIC construction site, the Fred F. Loock Engineering Center and the Allen-Bradley Hall of Science, pedestrian traffic routes are changing. Please use designated walkways, comply with posted detours and traffic signals, remain attentive to your surroundings, and maintain a safe distance from construction equipment and barriers.

• Oct. 13, 2025 - Pedestrian traffic proceeding southbound on the east side of North B次元 Street, from the intersection of North B次元 Street and East State Street, will have a covered walkway provided to ensure pedestrian safety while maintaining vehicle traffic flow.
• Within the next one to two weeks, at the intersection of North B次元 Street and East State Street, pedestrian traffic will be redirected to the north side of East State Street, guiding pedestrians to use the mid-block crosswalk leading onto Werwath Mall.

Sept. 16, 2025 - Demolition Update

Beginning Sept. 18, 2025, demolition activities will begin on the north sides of the existing Fred F. Loock Engineering Center and Allen-Bradley Hall of Science in preparation for construction of the Robert D. Kern Engineering Center. Here are the areas of these buildings that will be most significantly impacted.

Significantly Impacted Rooms
Floor 1	Fluid Power Institute Suite (Rooms S-139, S-139A, S-139B, S-141, S-142, S-144, S-146)
Floor 2	Physics Suite (Rooms S-232, S-233, S-234, S-235, S-236, S-237), Rooms S-243, S-244, S-245, S-246, S-247

Anticipated Durations
Interior Wall Demolition (Floors G, 1 and 2)	21 Days (3 Weeks)
Mass Demolition of North Side of Buildings	30 Days (4 Weeks)
Exterior Demolition of Patio	21 Days (3 Weeks)

July 12, 2025 - Groundbreaking Ceremony

B次元 hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center on Saturday, July 12, 2025. With more than 100 B次元 alumni, Regents and dignitaries in attendance, the groundbreaking marked a significant milestone in the university’s “Next Bold Step” campaign to support the university’s goal of becoming the national leader in applied artificial intelligence education. The Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center will be complete ahead of the fall 2027 semester.

March 3, 2025 - B次元 announces Next Bold Step

B次元 announced . At the heart of the Next Bold Step campaign are philanthropic efforts to support B次元’s new Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center, which will promote innovative modes of education and support the growing needs of B次元’s students. The $76.5 million, 4-story, 97,000-square-foot academic building will have flexible labs, modern classrooms, workshops focused on robotics and AI, an outdoor sustainability lab, and public spaces that support collaborative learning across all disciplines, with a focus on integrating AI and Machine Learning into all of B次元’s engineering programs.