Future of technology

By Katie Wilson
Times West Virginian

FAIRMONT May 10, 2008 12:35 am

— Fairmont State’s new Engineering Technology Building is officially open for business.
Construction was completed on the building in January. It has been open for classes since that time.
The new facility was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday attended by university and political officials.
Anthony Gilberti, dean of Fairmont State’s College of Science and Technology, accepted a $25,000 grant from Dominion Resources. The grant was presented by Dominion’s Senior Vice President and General Manager Charles Roberts.
The grant is the third payment toward Dominion’s $100,000 pledge and will support the Dominion Oil/Gas/Coal Technician Certificate Program offered through Pierpont Community & Technical College.
The new building wasn’t the only thing celebrated Friday. A memorial tree for Walter “Shady” Phillips, a deceased technology professor, was dedicated during the ceremony.
Gerald Bacza, dean of the Pierpont Community & Technical College School of Aviation, Business and Technology, spoke about Phillips and his presence on campus and in the classroom.
Following Phillips’ death in 1993, a tree was planted in his memory at the corner of the original technology wing. That tree was cut down during construction. A new tree, resistant to heat and drought, was placed to the right of the new building’s main entrance.
The dedication ceremony was sponsored by Thrasher Engineering, a partner of the College of Science and Technology.
Construction began in June 2006 on the new $15 million building. The project involved extensive renovation of the existing two-story technology wing of Wallman Hall. Two floors and about 40,000 square feet have been added to the existing building, which has 40,000 square feet. Landau Building Company was the general contractor for the new building.
The facility houses programs for drafting/design engineering technology, graphics technology and mechanical, civil and electronics engineering technology and occupational safety. It features two large lecture rooms, which are used by multiple departments, and about 12 smaller laboratory classrooms.
The College of Science and Technology has invited the campus community and the public to submit papers describing their predictions about the future of technology.
Papers will be stored in a time capsule in a safe at WesBanco in Fairmont for 20 years. WesBanco is donating space to store the time capsule.
In 2028, the time capsule will be opened, and those who submitted papers will be invited back to campus for a rededication of the Engineering Technology Building.
These people will be asked to share their submitted predictions of the future and participate in a series of activities with students and faculty.
E-mail Katie Wilson at kwilson@timeswv.com.

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