Cornell Engineering Audio Tours

Hello and welcome to the Cornell Engineering audio tour! We’re so glad you’ve joined us to explore our Engineering Quad. My name is Teri, and I’m an Assistant Director of Admissions here at Cornell Engineering. I’m excited to kick off your tour at Rhodes Hall, home to our Admissions Office in room 173. If you’re nearby, please feel free to stop in to say hello, ask questions, or gather information—our friendly staff and students are always happy to help.

Before we begin our walk around the quad, I’d love to give you a brief overview of Cornell Engineering.  We are the largest and highest-ranked engineering college in the Ivy League, with about 3,200 undergraduate students. Cornell Engineering is one of several colleges within Cornell University. At the center of Cornell is the College of Arts and Sciences, surrounded by pre-professional colleges like ours.

Our program offers 14 majors and 19 minors, providing both depth and breadth in engineering education. Students dive deeply into their chosen fields while engaging across disciplines—both within engineering and beyond. Thanks to our university-wide structure, students can take advantage of over 6,000 courses and more than 120 minors across Cornell. Engineering students are welcome—and encouraged—to explore these diverse academic offerings.

Cornell Engineering is home to 300 faculty members who are both active researchers and dedicated educators. Each faculty member leads their own research lab, teaches undergraduate courses, and advises students. This close connection between research and teaching creates a dynamic, symbiotic environment—where groundbreaking discoveries are brought directly into the classroom, enriching the student learning experience.

Ok now that you have an overview of our college, I’m going to hand this off to some of our incredible students.  They’ll guide you around the Engineering Quad, introduce you to our state-of-the-art facilities, highlight key student support spaces, and share what makes Cornell Engineering such a special place.

Thank you for starting your tour with us at the Admissions Office. We hope you enjoy discovering everything Cornell Engineering has to offer!

Hi! My name is Nick and welcome to the home of Material Science here at Cornell Engineering, Bard Hall. Bard Hall was built in 1963 and is now a part of the larger complex near Kimball and Tang Halls, serving as the west wing of the complex.

Students do both lecture-based and lab-based courses in Bard Hall.  There are a number of teaching labs for students in Material Sciences and there are a number of faculty labs where students can participate in part-time research. The Undergraduate student services office for Material Science Engineering is also located in room 210A.

My favorite part of Bard Hall is definitely the undergraduate lounge on the second floor. It’s a cozy workspace where students study between classes, collaborate on assignments, or just relax and talk. It’s a great place to get to know others in the major. Upperclassmen are always willing to share advice, and it really feels like a small community within the department. For me, it’s the space that makes Bard feel like home.

Hi everyone! Welcome to the Computing and Information Science Building, known colloquially as Bowers Hall. This is the newest addition to the Engineering Quad, opening in 2025.

As computer science, information science, and data science have grown rapidly at Cornell, so has the need for a modern space that supports collaboration, innovation, and community. Bowers was built to meet that need — a hub designed for instruction, research, and connection.

In the front of the building, you will see the large green space with diagonal paths leading across the lawn — a natural connection to our neighbor, Gates Hall. But that’s not the only link: there’s an enclosed pedestrian bridge between the two buildings, making it easy to move back and forth in any season.

Bowers is four stories tall, and on the ground floor, you’ll immediately see the emphasis on openness and collaboration. There are plenty of spaces where students can study and work together in groups. You’ll also find a dedicated maker space here —a dedicated space for hands on design and collaboration as well as a full suite of student services support units, easily accessible, on the second floor.

Throughout the building, there are active learning classrooms, robotics and builder labs, dry research labs, and informal meeting areas. On the first floor of the southern wing of Bowers closest to Rhodes Hall, there’s a brand-new café with covered outdoor seating — a great spot to recharge between classes and a social space where anyone from the full Cornell community is encouraged to connect.

Bringing together the departments of Computer Science, Information Science, and Statistics and Data Science under one roof — and connecting the new building to Gates Hall — is a powerful demonstration of Cornell’s commitment to the rapidly growing fields of computing and data. It reflects the university’s core values of excellence, innovation, purpose, community, and collaboration.

My favorite thing about Bowers is the gorgeous view from the top floor. Floor to ceiling windows afford an incredible vista of the entire Engineering Quad with comfy chairs there to enjoy the view. 

Welcome to Carpenter Hall!

My name is Rayanu, and I’m a junior majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering here at Cornell.

Carpenter Hall was completed in 1957 and named after Walter S. Carpenter Jr., a Cornell alum and former chairman of DuPont. It’s located right on the Engineering Quad and is packed with resources for engineering students — like me!

Carpenter Hall is home to the College of Engineering administration, including the Dean’s Office, as well as several student-facing services and collaborative spaces.

One of the main things in Carpenter is the Engineering Library. It’s not your typical library — you won’t find rows of books — but it has powerful computers, engineering software, and group study rooms you can reserve online. It’s open 24/7 with your Cornell ID, so it’s a great place to get work done any time, day or night.

Another big part of Carpenter is the student community. Many engineering student organizations meet here.  Even though the main Office of Inclusive Excellence has moved to Hollister Hall, the lounge in Carpenter is still a central meeting space.

Down in the basement, there’s the Systems Engineering Lab — a big maker space where a lot of hands-on project teams work. You’ll see students building robots, testing circuits, and collaborating across majors. It’s especially popular with ECE, mechanical, and computer science students.

So while Carpenter might look small from the outside, it’s really one of the most active and supportive buildings for engineers on campus.

Thanks for stopping by — and enjoy the rest of your tour of Cornell Engineering!

Hi, my name is Annabelle, and I’m a freshman engineer from the UK. I’m planning to major in Mechanical Engineering and also hope to minor in Aerospace Engineering.

Welcome to Clark Hall, a cornerstone of Cornell Engineering.

Built in 1965, Clark Hall was designed to span the space between Baker Laboratory and Rockefeller Hall, effectively closing off the courtyard that once separated them. That courtyard was later reimagined in 2010, when it gave way to the Physical Sciences Building—just across from here, though not officially part of the Engineering Quad.

Today, Clark Hall serves as the academic home of Applied and Engineering Physics. It’s both a research and administrative hub for physics-related disciplines within Cornell Engineering. 

Step inside, and you’ll find a thoughtful balance of activity and calm. Classrooms and quiet study spaces line the halls, while a dedicated conference room and designated quiet zones provide space for collaboration or reflection.

As of 2024, Clark Hall has been undergoing a major renovation to its lab and office areas on the first floor and basement—updates that are modernizing the building for decades of future research and innovation.

I come to Clarke at least once a week to study, especially if I am working on a collaborative project as there are lots of tables that are great for accommodating groups and talking through problems. And if I get hungry, Goldie’s Café is just next door!

For many who pass through, though, the draw isn’t only the science – it’s how it bridges past and present. It connects historic buildings with newer spaces, and just as importantly, it connects people—students, researchers, and faculty—working together to explore the boundaries of physics and engineering.

Hi Everyone! My name is Kavya! Welcome to Duffield Hall. 

Opened in Fall 2004, Duffield Hall is named after alumnus David A. Duffield, Electrical Engineering class of 1962 and MBA class of 1964.  Duffield is a tech entrepreneur best known for founding companies like PeopleSoft and Workday, and he has long been a major benefactor of Cornell.

Duffield Hall houses a number of different working spaces and technological facilities such as the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility, the Center for Materials Research and the Nanobiotechnology Center. Additionally, Duffield Hall houses Seminar Rooms, an Outdoor terrace, Nanotechnology engineering courses, and the Frederick Young Colloquium Room. 

In 2025, Cornell announced a historic $100 million gift from David Duffield to expand Duffield Hall by integrating the adjacent Phillips Hall, adding about 130,000 square feet of new and renovated research, teaching, and lab space (including a quantum-ready, low-vibration wing and facilities for AI, robotics, and semiconductors). The expansion is intended to merge Duffield Hall with the neighboring Phillips Hall to support the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This construction is expected to be completed by 2027. 

My favorite part of Duffield Hall is the floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of natural light throughout the day—it makes studying there so much more enjoyable. The building also offers incredible resources, labs, and facilities, but the welcoming atmosphere makes it a great spot for a study break. Thanks for joining me on the tour!

Hi! Welcome to Bill & Melinda Gates Hall—the heart of Computing and Information Science at Cornell. My name is Susan, and I’m a junior studying Information Science, Systems and Technology (ISST).

Gates Hall opened in 2014 after seven years of planning and construction. It was made possible by a generous $25 million gift from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, combined with a campus-wide fundraising effort that brought the total to about $60 million. From the outside you’ll notice the bright, patterned façade and lots of glass—choices that reflect what the building is all about: openness, interaction, and ideas in motion.

Academically, Gates Hall houses Computer Science, Information Science (including ISST), and Operations Research and Information Engineering courses and communities. Over a third of the building is dedicated to research and teaching labs—spaces for human-computer interaction, robotics, computational sustainability, systems and networking, and graphics and computer vision. It’s also home to the Center for the Interface of Networks, Computation and Economics and a multidisciplinary center focused on social networks—both exploring how technology and society shape one another.

Inside, the layout is meant to spark collaboration. Project labs and breakout rooms are flexible and lined with glass walls, so you can literally see ideas being built. When group work runs long, the café downstairs becomes mission control—great coffee, quick bites, and a constant stream of classmates, TAs, and professors.

Sustainability is baked in here. Gates is LEED Gold certified, with daylight harvesting and smart sensors that maximize natural light, radiant floors and high-efficiency heating and cooling, and water-saving fixtures that cut consumption by up to 20%. Outside, native landscaping and permeable pavement help manage stormwater and reduce irrigation.

My favorite spot is the open study area on the upper floors along the windows. As an ISST student and also a club lead, I’ve spent countless hours here—studying for exams, working with teammates on projects, and even hosting events in Gates Hall—all while watching the campus move below us.

Whether you’re debugging code, designing an interface, or grabbing a quick espresso from Gimme! Coffee, Gates Hall is where collaboration and innovation intersect.

Welcome to Hollister Hall!

My name is Ivy, a freshman planning to major in Mechanical Engineering. 

Hollister Hall is a central fixture to the engineering campus, located just next to Carpenter Hall which houses the engineering library. 

Built in 1957, Hollister Hall is the heart of the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. In fact the CEE department office is located on the second floor in room 220. Regardless of your major, you are sure to find yourself here at some point during your studies at Cornell!

Fun fact: Cornell was home to the first woman in the US to graduate with a degree in Civil Engineering! Nora Stanton Blatch, our pioneering female alumna, earned her degree in 1905. 

In my first few weeks I’ve spent a surprising amount of time in Hollister: the classrooms serve diverse purposes – including being home to my computer science discussion section! The lecture hall in the basement is a favorite spot for project team and engineering major information sessions. 

Speaking of project teams, you can’t miss the Cornell Seismic design display which showcases our undergraduate project team.  Their balsa wood model skyscraper creations are so impressive. In fact they have won first place for their international test earthquake competitions in the past! 

As the main Civil Engineering building, Hollister has several unique features including a hydraulics laboratory in the basement!

The Joseph H. DeFrees Hydraulics Laboratory, added in 1982, has 3 main experimental facilities: a wave tank, a wide meandering wave-current flume, and a tilting wind water tunnel.  It is the focal point of research and experimental studies in the environmental fluid mechanics and hydrology program.  Hydraulics and hydrology deal primarily with the occurrence and movement of water and other fluids on the surface of the earth. Students get hands on experience with these facilities to better understand how their academic theories can be applied to real world situations. It is a really neat lab to see!  

Hollister’s older facade is deceiving – look around and see for yourself! The most cutting-edge Civil Engineering research and learning are happening at this very moment on the inside.

Thank you for joining me in Hollister Hall, and be sure to stop by next time you are on campus!

Welcome to Kimball Hall!

Hi everyone, my name is Maddie, and I’m a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering here at Cornell.

Kimball Hall was built in 1951 and is connected to both Bard and Thurston Halls, forming part of the core cluster of buildings on the Engineering Quad. It’s a great mix of history and innovation, that keeps that classic Cornell look, but is full of cutting-edge research.

One of the main features of Kimball is the Cornell Energy Systems Institute, or CESI. This is a 4,000-square-foot lab that’s open 24/7 to researchers. CESI focuses on developing sustainable energy solutions, things like advanced batteries, fuel cells, and smart grids. The lab has a wide range of analytical instruments that let researchers evaluate materials, devices, and full systems to find better ways to produce and store energy.

There are also labs for biomedical and materials science here, so you’ll often see students and faculty from different engineering majors collaborating. It’s one of those buildings where mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineers are all working side by side on real-world problems.

Kimball also hosts several classes and lab sections, so you’ll find plenty of students here during the day, running experiments, working on projects, or just grabbing a quick study spot between classes.

My favorite thing about Kimball is how it’s always been part of my journey here at Cornell. Every semester, I’ve had at least one class in Kimball, and it’s become a space where I’ve grown as a student and made so many great memories.

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the rest of your tour of Cornell Engineering!

Hi! My name is Trevor, and I’m excited to tell you a bit about Olin Hall — the home of my major, Chemical Engineering.

Olin Hall opened in 1942 and was named after Franklin W. Olin, a Civil Engineering graduate from Cornell’s Class of 1886. It was the very first building constructed on what is now Cornell’s dedicated engineering campus.

Today, Olin Hall houses the Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, which was originally founded in 1938 and renamed in 2016 to honor alumnus and philanthropist Robert F. Smith.

The building underwent a major renovation in 2015, and as of 2025, further updates are underway to continue modernizing the space.

Olin is where all Chemical Engineering (or ChemE) students take their core classes — from foundational courses like CHEME 2190: Chemical Process Design and Analysis, to advanced electives and CHEME 4320: Chemical Engineering Laboratory, where seniors apply everything they’ve learned to complex design, analysis, and laboratory work.

Spanning from the basement to the first floor is Olin’s Unit Operations Lab. Inside you’ll find heat exchangers, distillation columns, bioreactors, gas membrane separators, and several other unit operations. Chemical Engineers typically use this lab in their CHEME 4320 Chemical Engineering Laboratory course, CHEME 4630 Product Design Course, or on the ChemE Car Project Team.

Additionally, Olin houses a fully equipped machine shop in the basement used by students, staff, and faculty to design and fabricate devices and systems for their studies and research.

A sentimental room in Olin for myself and many other ChemEs is the undergraduate lounge. It was located in the basement before current renovations began, but I’m looking forward to the new one on the first floor. The lounge gives us space to rest, collaborate on work, or even hold meetings and expand our network.

Thanks for joining me for this quick tour of Olin Hall!

Hi! My name is Diya, and I’m a junior from Atlanta, GA studying mechanical engineering.

Welcome to the heart of engineering at Cornell: the Pew Engineering Quad. Here, historic architecture meets cutting-edge facilities. Students come here to attend classes, engage in hands-on projects and research, and build both personal and professional skills that will shape their future in engineering. The quad is also home to essential support resources like the Engineering Library and the Engineering Career Center.

At the center of the quad, you’ll find the Engineering Sundial. Installed in 1980, it was dedicated in memory of Joseph Pew Jr.—an industrialist, Cornell engineering alum, and generous benefactor for whom the quad is named. His wife believed a sundial would be a meaningful tribute. Wonder how it works? If you look closely, you’ll notice a series of lines along one of its inner curves—one for each minute from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. As the sun moves, a thin cable casts a shadow that tells the time. Pretty neat, right?

More than just an academic space, the quad is the heart of student life in engineering. It’s where some of the best memories and traditions are made—like Dragon Day, when the engineering phoenix emerges to celebrate the friendly rivalry with architecture students. It’s also where you’ll find friends playing frisbee, reading on blankets, or catching up over coffee. During warm weather, many students study under the shade of the Tang overhang. Over your four years here, you’ll spend a lot of time in and around these buildings, surrounded by camaraderie and creativity at every step.

Even though I walk through it every day, I’m still amazed by how monumental it feels. Generations of students have walked these paths and gone on to forge their own in the world of engineering—and now I get to be part of that story too. 

Hi! My name is Joanna and I am an Electrical and Computer Engineering major from Newark, New Jersey. Welcome to the home of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Phillips Hall. Electrical Engineering has a rich history here at Cornell, dating back to 1883 when we introduced one of the first electrical engineering courses in the world. By 1889, we officially established the Electrical Engineering department, integrating it into the College of Engineering. 

Completed in 1955 and named after the esteemed Cornell engineering alumnus and philanthropist, William A. Phillips, the building is dedicated to fostering innovation, learning, and collaboration.

 The facility features modern classrooms, laboratories, and collaborative spaces, equipped with advanced technology that encourages hands-on learning and experimentation. Students engage in a variety of disciplines, from circuit design and microelectronics to signal processing and robotics.

One of the standout features of Phillips Hall is its commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration. The layout includes flexible workspaces and communal areas where students can gather, brainstorm, and collaborate on projects. This design promotes an engaging environment that nurtures creativity and teamwork.

In the next few years, renovations and expansions are coming to Phillips hall, expanding on the building along with Duffield Hall.  This $66.3 million project will add an additional 46,340 square-feet to Cornell’s Duffield and Phillips Halls.  At the completion of the project in 2028, Phillips hall will no longer be a separate building and this will all be called Duffield Hall.  

What I love most about Phillips Hall is its displays of revolutionary Electrical Engineering exhibits along with plaques detailing information about each piece of innovative technology. These displays date as far back as 1885. 

While prancing through the halls, you can also find displays of technology developed by student run project teams, such as The Kiwi Kruiser, and Electric Motorcycle, both designed and manufactured by Cornell Electric Vehicles Project Team. As an active member of Cornell’s project teams, I take extra interest in these displays because they are a constant reminder that at Cornell University students can begin developing hands-on projects as early as freshman year. Whether by utilizing the Cornell Maker Space, a lab space open to all students with engineering tools to create personal projects, or by joining Project Teams, students are provided the resources to transform their ideas into cutting edge designs.  

Hi My name is Emily and I am a first year student from Massachusetts. I am planning on majoring in Mechanical engineering once I can affiliate with a major in my sophomore year. Let me take you through the Physical Sciences Building!

The Physical Sciences building serves as a testament to Cornell’s interdisciplinary inquiry. Because it was a collaborative project between the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences, it doesn’t lie in the Engineering quad, but actually right in the center of campus. Designed with the purpose of housing an abundance of research among the departments of Physics, Chemistry, and Chemical Biology, it is equipped with over 80 research and teaching labs as well as numerous gathering spaces.

The facilities were built intentionally, with sustainability in mind. Following its construction, it was LEED Gold Certified. The first time I set foot in the building, I felt its noticeably fresh air, along with the natural light beaming through the beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows.

Even as a first-year student, I come to the Physical Sciences building every week. There are many places where I can study, and I attend labs and lectures, or I even just grab a bite of food at its cafe. Whenever I’m there, I’m surrounded by cutting-edge research and incredible resources. It’s my first time in a real lab, and I can see myself learning a lot in the semesters to come… But my memories with the building aren’t only related to academics; I attended a huge dance workshop right in the center of the lobby during my second week on campus. I’ve met so many new people just by being in the building and have discussed novel ideas in my classes there too. To me, the Physical Sciences Building represents more than just a space for learning—it’s a place where ideas, people, and experiences come together. I’m excited to keep exploring everything it has to offer throughout my time at Cornell. 

Welcome to Rhodes Hall, one of the central hubs for engineering students here at Cornell! My name is Esha and I am a junior majoring in computer science.

Rhodes Hall, completed in 1990, is named after Frank H. T. Rhodes, the ninth president of Cornell University. It serves as the headquarters for the School of Operations Research and Information Engineering — or, as we lovingly call it, ORIE.

Inside Rhodes, you’ll find the offices and labs for Systems Engineering, which supports both master’s and PhD programs, and a lounge for Computer Science students, where you’ll often see people locked into their next assignment. It’s also home to several key student services within Cornell Engineering — including Engineering Advising and the Engineering Admissions Office. Whether you’re figuring out which classes to take, planning a study abroad semester, or trying to fit in a co-op, the advisors here are always ready to help. And if you pass by Admissions, you’ll often be greeted with a warm hello.

One of the most unique features of Rhodes is the Solar Noon Clock. The story goes that when Bill Nye was visiting campus in the early 2000s, he noticed a blank concrete circle at the center of the building’s parapet and thought, “That should be a clock!” Thanks to him, it now lights up every day when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky — solar noon.

For me, Rhodes has always felt like a hub of support. Most ORIE and CS office hours are held in this building, so naturally, Rhodes is where I’ve spent most of my academic life at Cornell. I even spent multiple nights here back in my algo days. But honestly, it’s memories like these that make Rhodes Hall more than just a building — it’s really a home for many of our Engineering students here at Cornell.

Welcome to Riley-Robb Hall! This building is home to the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering — or BEE — here at Cornell. My name is Kelly and I am excited to show you around!

While it’s not located directly on the Engineering Quad, Riley-Robb is just a short walk away — and conveniently close to the Cornell Dairy Bar, which is a favorite stop for many of us.

Riley-Robb Hall was constructed in 1956 to serve the newly established Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering (formerly Agricultural Engineering). The name honors Howard W. Riley, Cornell’s first head of the department, and Byron B. Robb, the department’s second chair, who shaped the program in its early days. 

Fun fact, the desk used by both Riley and Robb can be found on the second floor in the BEE Library today!

Even with its early start, Riley-Robb was the first Cornell renovation to earn LEED Gold certification, marking Cornell’s commitment to integrating research excellence with environmental responsibility. 

Speaking of research, there are several labs and offices located within the building. These include the Cellulosic Biofuels Research Laboratory, the hub of Cornell’s research and development of sustainable and economical biofuels, and the #AgRobotics Lab, which develops and deploys intelligent, smart farming solutions that enhance input precision and efficiency in farming operations. 

I personally work with the Dairy Environmental Systems (DES) team of Cornell PRO-DAIRY which is housed on the fourth floor. This team works to develop and introduce innovative methods in dairy manure management and energy systems to enhance animal well-being, system efficiency, environmental compliance, and overall farm profitability. 

As a Biological Engineering major myself, I have also taken many courses and exams within this building. There are numerous classrooms and study areas inside, including the BEE Undergraduate and Graduate lounges. 

The next time you head towards the Dairy Bar, stop by Riley-Robb, where the BEE department brings life to engineering. Thanks for joining me!

Hi everyone, and welcome to Snee Hall! My name is Annelise, and I am a freshman planning to major in Applied and Engineering Physics here at Cornell.

If you’re interested in being an Earth and Atmospheric Sciences major, or are curious about the planet — from earthquakes and volcanoes to climate science and planetary systems — this is where your journey could begin. Snee Hall is part of the College of Engineering and is just a short walk from both the Engineering Quad and Collegetown, making it a central and convenient location for studying.

The building was designed in the early 1980s by Mario Schack, a former professor of architecture at Cornell. It opened in 1984 and still has an open, welcoming feel that encourages collaboration, research, and discovery.

One of the first things you’ll notice is the Snee Atrium — a bright, open space that feels like a natural hub for students and faculty. If you keep an eye out, you’ll spot dinosaur footprints embedded in the floor, and a life-size cast of a plesiosaur floating overhead. These fossils come from the nearby Paleontological Research Institution, bringing a bit of prehistoric wonder into your everyday walk to class.

Snee isn’t just for lectures — it’s a living lab. There’s a working sediment transport model that shows how rivers move earth, a live seismograph tracking real-time earthquakes, and even outdoor learning spaces like the Snee Hall Rock Park, where you’ll find samples of geological formations from across New York State. Inside, the Heasley Mineralogy Museum houses thousands of mineral specimens, including some that were part of the University’s original collection — purchased by Ezra Cornell himself back in 1868. It’s both a beautiful and educational space, and you’ll likely visit it as part of your coursework.

Courses here range from hands-on labs to field-based learning — and you’ll often find students and faculty working together on real-world problems. In fact, one of my favorite parts of Snee is that I get to do my own research on utilidor design here — studying how underground utility systems interact with the geology beneath our feet.

Snee Hall is more than just a building, it’s a place where science comes to life, and where your curiosity can truly explore the world around us.

Thank you so much for visiting, we hope to see you back here soon!

Hi, my name is Alexandra and welcome to Tang

Tang Hall is the newest building on Cornell’s Engineering Quad, dedicated in 2024, thanks to the generosity of Martin Y and Margaret Lee Tang. It replaces and expand what was formerly Thurston Hall and completely reimagines the way that engineers, especially biomedical engineers, learn, collaborate, and innovate.

Rather than traditional lecture style spaces, it was intentionally designed to foster a community where hands-on and experiential learning can happen. Throughout the building, you’ll find open workspaces with whiteboards on nearly every wall, student design studios buzzing with activity, teaching labs equipped for real-world experimentation, and flexible meeting rooms where project teams and research groups can collaborate with ease. This building also marks a major milestone for biomedical engineering as a department, as it brings BME down to the heart of the engineering quad for the first time.

Being located here allows BMEs to work alongside mechanical, civil, environmental, and material science engineers, as well as graduate students and faculty from multiple different disciplines. What makes this space especially exciting is its range of special facilities that it contains, extending far beyond just classrooms or BME equipment.

One standout is the Toyota forklift studio, a one of a kind space where students deconstruct and rebuild actual forklifts to learn thermal fluids, structural modeling, and control dynamics through real industrial settings.

This building is also home to the Bovay Laboratory Complex, where students can watch large-scale material and infrastructure testing, and project teams like Concrete Canoe can bring their designs to life. There’s also the George Winter High Bay for advanced structural experiments.

On the biomedical side, the building also includes spaces for circuits and biomechanics labs, equipped for tissue and joint analysis, along with state of the art microscopy suites to support teaching and research.

To me, this building represents the future of engineering at Cornell, giving an innovative, collaborative, and interdisciplinary space full of energy. It’s not just a place where I go to class. It’s where I design, build, and test ideas and work alongside students from every corner of engineering.

It’s a space that makes you feel like an engineer the moment you walk in and it embodies Cornell’s commitment to preparing us to solve real world challenges.

Hi, I’m Maguette, a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

Welcome to Upson Hall, home of the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, or MAE. MAE is one of our oldest majors at Cornell and was actually offered the first semester Cornell opened but under the name “Mechanic Arts”.

The Sibly School itself actually celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2024, and one of our favorite alums, Bill Nye, was part of the celebration!

Upson itself has a rich history. Originally built in 1956, it underwent a major renovation completed in 2017. That update refreshed all 160,000 square feet across six floors—modernizing classrooms, research labs, and maker spaces, while also significantly improving the building’s energy efficiency.

There’s so much to explore inside of Upson. The Rapid Prototyping Lab (RPL) in the basement has 3D printers, a laser cutter, and a CNC router table. Right next to it you will also find the Emerson Manufacturing Teaching Lab, Experiential Learning Lab (ELL), the ELL composites lab, and the GM Automotive Lab. 

The basement of Upson Hall is also where several student project teams work, like Baja Racing and FSAE—giving students hands-on experience designing, building, and testing vehicles. (Yes, it’s a very large basement.)

Beyond that, every floor of Upson has research labs where work is being done in spaceflight, mechanics, robotics, and so much more. And of course, there are classes happening all over the building, giving students a chance to learn, experiment, and collaborate in these incredible spaces. 

As a mechanical engineer, I love Upson so much. The themed MAE undergraduate office reminds me that there is a home and safe space here. Upson is a creator space, I have been able to turn concepts into many prototype iterations and this is available for any student to do (within the RPL).

Thanks for joining me!

Hi Everyone! My name is Antranig! Next stop on the tour is Weill Hall. 

Opening in 2008 as a $162 million facility, this building serves as one of the country’s top life sciences buildings. Weill Hall is home to the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, named after Nancy and Peter Meinig along with their daughters Anne, Kathryn and Sarah, who donated $50 million to help elevate and expand biomedical engineering here at Cornell. 

It’s in Weill Hall, where biomedical engineers, like myself, have some of our classes and where a lot of the Biomedical Engineering faculty host their research labs.

Among the students (or at the very least me), its considerably futuristic design isn’t just for show: the building is energy efficient, being LEED Gold Certified with a living roof (where plants can grow) and greywater collection system to name a few. Past the energy efficiency, the large windows, open seating, adjacent faculty/student offices and huge whiteboards foster collaboration among students.

Location wise, Weill hall is near Bartels: the central campus gym and ag quad, a 10 minute walk from the engineering quad. Now it is my hypothesis that they put the biomedical engineering building off the engineering quad because if any discipline understands the importance of walking, it’d be biomedical engineers.

As a biomedical engineer, I’ve had a handful of classes here as well as labs where we apply what we learned in class. My favorite part of the space has to be seeing what goes on in some of the faculty member’s labs. To be able to see their latest experiment, while they explain their incredibly complex research in terms I can understand, helped me realize that I’m surrounded by incredibly smart people, all working to make the work a better place by advancing the biomedical field. With an added bonus being that those incredibly smart people will teach me in future classes makes Weill hall a pretty cool place to visit. 

A second favorite would have to be the modern design, not only does it look cool on the outside, but looking out the large windows, and seeing the outside or the living roof generates a peaceful presence that cultivates peak focus. 

Thanks for joining me at Weill Hall!

And that brings us to the end of your Cornell Engineering Audio Tour.

My name is Amanda Augustyn, and I am Assistant Director of Admissions at Cornell Engineering.

As you’ve seen — and hopefully felt — the Engineering Quad isn’t just a collection of buildings. It’s a place where ideas come to life, where collaboration drives innovation, and where future engineers are shaped not just by textbooks, but by real-world challenges, hands-on research, and a passionate, collaborative community.

From the foundational spaces like Rhodes and Hollister to cutting-edge facilities like Upson and Duffield, every corner of this quad is designed to support you — as a learner, an innovator, and a problem-solver.

But Cornell Engineering is more than infrastructure. It’s about the people — the students, faculty, and staff who push boundaries, challenge assumptions, and create solutions with global impact.

Whether you’re a prospective student, a proud alum, or just curious about what we do here, we hope this tour has given you a glimpse into what’s possible at Cornell Engineering.

If you’d like to learn more, we invite you to explore our website, attend an information session, or email us your questions. And if you’re already imagining yourself here — walking these paths, joining these labs, and building the future — we can’t wait to see what you’ll create.

Thanks for joining us!