From the Dean’s Desk: Bringing Our Vision to Life
As we begin the fall semester, I’m thrilled to share a transformative milestone for our College of Engineering and Computing: the opening of the first building of our Innovation Complex—known simply as Innovation 1. This moment marks more than an expansion of our physical footprint; it’s the embodiment of our vision to position FIU as the premier destination for Miami Tech talent and innovation.
From the start, our Innovation Complex has been designed to drive Miami’s technology growth through Solution Centers focused on multidisciplinary research and training in AI, cybersecurity, robotics, automation, resilient infrastructure, AI-driven health, next generation electronics, advanced manufacturing and materials. Now, with students and faculty settling into Innovation 1, that vision is becoming reality.
Innovation 1 is just in time. This fall, we welcomed more than 9,400 engineering and computing students to the college—an all-time high.
A Historic First: Classes Begin in Innovation Complex
Last week marked a truly historic milestone—the very first class held in Innovation 1. Dr. Gregory Reis led this inaugural session of CIS 3590: Software Development Internship Ready in Room 302 in Innovation 1, teaching more than 50 students in a space specifically designed to prepare them for successful careers in technology.
The energy captured in that first class perfectly embodies what the Innovation Complex represents: a transformative space where cutting-edge learning, industry preparation, and real-world problem-solving converge. This internship-ready course demonstrates the immediate impact our new facility is having on workforce development.
Strategic Faculty Integration to Drive Innovation
Innovation 1's occupancy reflects our deliberate strategy to assemble leading faculty into integrated cores for research and development-driven innovation. Faculty from three key academic units now call Innovation 1 home:
- the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences (KFSCIS),
- Biomedical Engineering (BME),
- and a newly formed department at CEC: Multidisciplinary Engineering and Computing Education, Systems, and Management (ESM).
The opening of Innovation 1 helps us keep our strategic growth right on track. Take our biomedical engineering graduate program, for example. This top 50 program (according to U.S. News and World Report) is one of many receiving a significant boost. Earlier this year, the Florida Heart Research Foundation awarded us a grant of nearly $15 million to create the Center for Innovation in Cardiovascular Health, an ambitious research and education center located on the sixth floor of Innovation 1.
Strategic investment and partnerships like this promise to lift our college to new heights. We ended the academic year 2024-2025 with $64 million in research expenditures, surpassing last year's level, and we are thrilled to see where we go from here.
Academic Excellence Through Innovative Design
The Innovation Complex is more than a facility. It's a carefully designed ecosystem that supports every aspect of our educational mission.
Distinguished University Professor Mark Weiss, who serves as our Interim Vice Dean, emphasizes the transformative academic impact this facility will have on our students and faculty.
"The Innovation Complex significantly enhances how we deliver education," Weiss explains.
The facility's student-centered design includes teaching labs that encourage scientific thinking, dedicated study spaces that complement hands-on learning, and career advising areas specifically designed to enhance the process of matching employers with our talented graduates. Notably, the building will be a venue to showcase our Senior Design Showcase, which is our signature project-based learning event that brings together more than 400 senior students to engage with industry representatives.
Innovation 1 also houses dedicated spaces for startup formation and entrepreneurial programming, reinforcing our commitment to developing not just skilled graduates, but innovative leaders who will create the companies and technologies of tomorrow. Collaborative areas for student clubs provide the infrastructure necessary for experiential learning and skill development.
Infrastructure for Tomorrow's Breakthroughs
The phased move-in process, which continues through the end of next month, is bringing together expanded undergraduate advising teams and enhanced IT support services alongside our research faculty. This comprehensive approach ensures that Innovation 1 functions as a fully integrated ecosystem supporting both academic excellence and research innovation.
The building’s emerging technology and computer labs, research facilities, and collision spaces for cross-disciplinary teamwork provide the infrastructure necessary for the kind of breakthrough research that attracts federal funding, industry partnerships, and top-tier talent to South Florida.
Building Miami's Tech Ecosystem
As we celebrate this milestone, it's important to recognize that Innovation 1’s occupancy represents just the beginning. It is the first phase of a comprehensive vision that will continue expanding in future years, further strengthening our capacity to serve as the hub for Miami's technology innovation and economic growth.
Looking ahead, I am excited to share more stories of the discoveries, partnerships, and achievements that will emerge from this remarkable facility. The Innovation Complex represents our commitment to being more than an academic institution. We are building a catalyst for the technological transformation of South Florida.