Research & development opportunities are enhancing the engineering program at Oklahoma State University.

Since its founding in 1890, Oklahoma State University has been breaking down walls via the development of new research and new technologies. In recent years, the forward momentum of the engineering industry further pushed OSU to provide its students with a trailblazing facility that would provide enhanced research and development opportunities, to once again put them at the forefront of engineering.

The Bert Cooper Engineering Laboratory does just this – setting OSU’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering apart from other programs in the nation. Considered to be one of the top five structural engineering facilities in the world, FSB has created a groundbreaking collaborative research lab for OSU students that features the benefits of hands-on learning.

The 25,836 SF facility has the capacity to test full-size bridges and multi-story buildings, thanks to its thick strong floor, large cranes and advanced testing equipment. It recreates the real-world environment to evaluate new concepts in science and engineering, as well as showcases technology developed at OSU. A large testing bay is also dedicated to researching how structures and materials respond to fire and hazardous events.

Design and construction of the facility incorporated environmentally sustainable methods developed by OSU faculty and researchers, from low-carbon concrete mixtures for foundations to the geothermal ground-source heat pump systems.

This new facility provides OSU with the resources and tools to not only successfully develop the next generation of structural materials and sensor technology, but also provides access to the forefront of technology that will ultimately educate the next generation of engineers.