U.S. Senators Cantwell and Murray Secure $2.45 Million Federal Funding for WWU’s Kaiser Borsari Hall
Bellingham, WA – Washington’s U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray have delivered an additional $2.45 million in federal funding for advanced technology laboratory and research equipment for Western Washington University's new state-of-the-art electrical engineering and computer science building, Kaiser Borsari Hall.
The funding, included in the FY 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law by President Biden last month, will help build research and instructional labs within Kaiser Borsari Hall, including robotics, embedded systems and controls, automation and integration, and electrification and autonomous transportation labs. These labs will be equipped with specialized electrical engineering tools and instrumentation essential for advanced research and experiential learning.
The money will also support energy course labs with vital equipment for energy research, such as wind turbine generators, transformers, inverters, batteries, and smart building technologies.
WWU President Sabah Randhawa said, "We thank both Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell for their ongoing support for Western Washington University and our students. These funds will go a long way in providing our students with the latest tools, technologies and facilities necessary to excel in their future careers and make meaningful contributions to Washington State and beyond.”
More about WWU’s Kaiser Borsari Hall
Kaiser Borsari Hall, Western’s new electrical and computer engineering, energy science, and computer science building, will offer cutting-edge learning opportunities to students across disciplines with its net zero energy and carbon design, labs and experiential learning spaces, active learning classrooms, and collaboration spaces. When complete, the facility will be the first publicly funded zero-energy academic building on a university campus in Washington State.
Kaiser Borsari Hall is being funded through both public and private funds and is named for Fred Kaiser and Grace Borsari, longtime champions of WWU, entrepreneurs and founders of Alpha Technologies, who have committed $10 million to the campaign to fund the project, alongside state- and federally appropriated funds.
Kaiser Borsari Hall is now under construction with completion expected in early 2025. For more information on the project, click here.