The New York University (NYU) Tandon School of Engineering on Wednesday announced the school’s purchase of 3 MetroTech Center in Brooklyn as part of a $1 billion investment in the engineering program.
The investment includes the purchase of the building, as well as the recruitment of 40 tenure-track faculty members.
The money will also be used to focus research on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and wireless technology — with the investment supporting interdisciplinary research collaboration.
School officials lauded the program’s expansion at a Nov. 30 press conference announcing the purchase.
“Today we are incredibly excited to share with you as we stand in this wonderful 3 MetroTech building to announce that we have purchased this building,” said NYU President Andrew Hamilton. “It is part of our long term $1 billion investment in engineering in Brooklyn. “These different disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields are critical to building a strong foundation for all of our futures and that’s why we deem it so important, it’s why we are making this critical investment in engineering at NYU.”
Jelena Kovačević, dean of NYU Tandon also expressed excitement about the expansion, saying the investment would help students and engineers take more eco-friendly approaches to technology.
“As we turn the corner on the pandemic and reassert ourselves as the premier academic partner for Brooklyn and New York City, NYU Tandon stands ready to take important steps towards 6G wireless, a safer cyber world and a more sustainable and healthier planet,” Kovačević said Wednesday. “Join us as we open the doors of discovery, unleash a new generation of engineers and create tomorrow’s solutions today.”
Leaders in the Brooklyn community also applauded the school’s decision to expand in the Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood, with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso saying he was grateful for the institution’s decision to make the neighborhood their home.
“Our times are changing exponentially, it’s not about building a car and then building a faster car, it’s about saving the lives of generations to come, it’s about building sustainable practices and it doesn’t come by accident, we need to work at it,” Reynoso said.
Some prominent members of the community also praised the news — including Regina Meyer, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, a nonprofit development organization which serves as a champion for the area.
“We applaud NYU’s continued and significant investment in NYU Tandon School of Engineering – signifying Downtown Brooklyn as an important NYU campus and as a center for education, innovation, and research of global significance,” Myer told Brooklyn Paper in a statement. “Downtown Brooklyn has experienced record employment and industry growth in recent years, and NYU Tandon in particular fosters strong industry partnerships that benefit local businesses and produce a talented, prepared, and tech-savvy workforce. We look forward to continuing our work with NYU to create and even greater hub of entrepreneurship and innovation.”
Additional reporting by Paul Frangipane
