Indiana Tech dedicates new center for engineering and computer science programs

Indiana Tech has completed a major expansion and renovation of the Zollner Engineering Center on its main campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The university dedicated the $21.5 million project on Oct. 4, 2024 as part of its annual homecoming celebration for alumni, students and community members. The project nearly doubled the size of the prior facility and has resulted in an all-new home for Indiana Tech’s growing programs in engineering, computer sciences, cybersecurity, life sciences, technology and more.

Construction began in May 2021, and unfolded in three phases prior to completion during the summer of 2024. The first phase of the project included the construction of a 30,000 square foot addition to the east side of the existing facility. The addition was completed in August 2022. The next phases of the project began in May 2022 and included a complete renovation of the existing Zollner Center space, resulting in an all-new, 70,000 square foot, three-floor facility that is now a centerpiece of Indiana Tech’s main campus.

The new Zollner Engineering Center provides a home for Indiana Tech’s Talwar College of Engineering and Computer Sciences and its current, growing programs in engineering, computer sciences and life sciences. It also provides new space for the introduction and growth of new programs that are part of the university’s strategic plan, including an array of engineering technology programs, and those in areas such as computer science, robotics, and life science.

“Indiana Tech has a long and proud history of providing excellent education in science, technology, engineering and math-related fields,” commented Indiana Tech President Karl Einolf. “We continue to see growth in these areas, and an ever-increasing demand for our talented and capable graduates among regional and national employers. The $21.5 million investment our university has made in the new Zollner Center is just a portion of the more than $50 million we are spending to expand access to STEM education, training, research and development services throughout our region. Combined with our work to establish Junction 36, the new hardtech and advanced manufacturing center we’ll be creating at Electric Works, it will enable us to expand our collaborations with corporate partners, attract new businesses to our area, and help grow our regional economy.”

Key elements of the new facility include:

• 28 specialized laboratory and collaboration spaces across three levels, including:
  • Ground level:
    • Manufacturing/Automation Lab
    • Materials/Solid Mechanics Lab
    • Biomedical Engineering Lab
    • Exercise Science Lab
    • Thermal Sciences Lab
    • Robotics Design Lab
    • Engineering Innovation Design Center
    • Engineering Design Workshop
  • First floor:
    • Digital Forensics Lab
    • Computer Science Lab
    • Computer Science Projects Lab
    • Software Engineering Lab
    • Power Controls Lab
    • Life Sciences Lab
    • Network Operations Center
    • Cybersecurity Operations Center
    • Data Center supporting computer science programs
    • 3-D Design Lab
    • Physics Lab
  • Second Floor
    • Projects Lab
    • Circuits Lab – Electrical and Computer Engineering
    • Analytical/Organic Chemistry Lab
    • PLC Lab – Electrical Engineering
    • Chemistry Lab
    • CAD and Engineering Lab
    • Information Systems Lab
    • Cell and Molecular Biology Lab
    • Forensics and Microbiology Lab
• Central computer lab with 24/7/365 access for students and faculty
• 37 faculty offices
• Project learning and collaborative study spaces
• Future growth space for new programs in health science fields, computer sciences, information technology

As part of the project, Indiana Tech also renovated and expanded the central quad area on its campus,  adding an extensive amount of green space to central campus. Walkways on the existing quad were reconfigured, and seating areas were incorporated throughout. The quad renovation further enhances the beauty of campus and encourages wider use of the green space there.

The Zollner Engineering Center was first built in 1958, with the current facility’s west wing opening as the Charles A. Dana Science Building in June of that year. The building was renovated and expanded to a total of 40,000 square feet in 2002 and was re-christened as the Zollner Engineering Center at that time.

Key project planning and construction partners included CMA Plus Construction Management, Elevatus Architecture, Michael Kinder and Sons, Engineering Resources, Inc., Primary Engineering, Perkins + Will, Almet Inc., O’Neal Excavating, Innovative Control Systems, Votaw Electric, Shambaugh, A. Hattersley & Sons, and C.L. Schust.