University of Maryland Breaks Ground for A. James Clark Hall

The University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering today will host the ceremonial groundbreaking of the new A. James Clark Hall at the University of Maryland, College Park. The new building will cultivate transformative new engineering and biomedical technologies to accelerate advancements in human health.

Taking place at 10:00 a.m. on November 21 at the site of the new building in the Paint Branch Parking Lot, adjacent to the Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, the event will bring together honored guests, dignitaries, and representatives of the University of Maryland and University System of Maryland to celebrate the impact Clark Hall will have on the advancement of biomedical research.

“Our researchers are hard at work on biomedical projects that are staggering in their potential impact—a cure for multiple sclerosis, a cancer vaccine, a magnetic pain reduction system and many others,” said University of Maryland President Wallace Loh. “When complete, this new building will give them the space and facilities to finish the job.”

The 184,000-square-foot building will accommodate the Clark School’s rapidly growing programs and foster collaboration among the many disciplines involved with human health innovation, from bioengineering and mechanical engineering to biology and information technology.

“I’m proud that Maryland continues to be a leader in the biotech industry, and the A. James Clark Hall will help us continue to build the skilled workforce we need to remain competitive, support groundbreaking advances in the biomedical and engineering fields, and attract additional economic opportunities,” stated Congressman Steny Hoyer. “This world-class facility will not only attract faculty and students, but it will also ensure that the University of Maryland remains at the forefront of engineering and biomedical technologies to advance human health innovation. I look forward to the new opportunities for federal research partnerships and will continue to support significant research advancements at the University of Maryland and throughout our great state.”

Clark Hall will facilitate world-class research and educational programs, offering state-of-the-art laboratories, student project space, and a new home for the Fischell Department of Bioengineering and the Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices. Located within an hour’s drive from many of the nation’s top bioscience research forces, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Clark Hall will serve as a central hub for new partnerships for organizations throughout the Maryland and Washington, D.C. region.

“This new start-of-the-art facility for bioengineering research and education will attract exceptional faculty and students to Maryland, support leading edge research and education, and benefit the state of Maryland’s innovation ecosystem through the creation of new companies and new jobs,” said University System of Maryland Chancellor William E. Kirwan.

While the vision, design, and development of Clark Hall brought together the minds of University of Maryland and Clark School administrators, faculty, and staff, as well as a team of talented architects and builders, the plans could not be executed without the generosity of two benefactors – A. James Clark (B.S. ’50) and Dr. Robert E. Fischell (M.S. ’53, Honorary Sc.D. ’95).

Clark’s steadfast commitment to undergraduate education moved him to endow a fund for undergraduate scholarships in 1994, and in 2005, a new A. James Clark Scholarship Fund to provide financial support to undergraduate engineering students based on merit, need, and diversity. In recognition of Clark’s philanthropic leadership, the University of Maryland School of Engineering was named the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Inspired by his strong interest in the promise of biosciences and biotechnology, Clark made a generous gift to support the design and construction of A. James Clark Hall, which will be the 27th structure built by Clark Construction on the University of Maryland campus.

“Mr. Clark’s contribution to this new building and the University of Maryland is not only a symbol of commitment to his alma mater, but a symbol of his vision for the future of human health,” said Darryll Pines, Clark School Dean and Farvardin Professor.

Fischell is the inventor behind major medical breakthroughs, including highly flexible, drug-eluding coronary stents, the first implantable insulin pump, and a magnetic pulse device for treating human pain ranging from migraine headaches to backaches. His latest inventions include the first rechargeable pacemaker for cardiac patients, an implantable device that warns a patient and medical personnel of a heart attack at the very first sign of its start, and a neurostimulator implanted in the skull that can detect abnormal electrical activity in the brain and correct it before a seizure occurs.

In 2005, Fischell and his family helped to establish the Fischell Department of Bioengineering and the future Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices at the University of Maryland, and, most recently, Fischell committed a generous gift toward the establishment of A. James Clark Hall.

“Dr. Fischell’s commitment to the commercialization of health innovations has made an enormous impact on society, and the Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices will help our students and faculty to take part in the improvement of human health worldwide,” said William Bentley, the Robert E. Fischell Distinguished Professor of Engineering and Chair of the Fischell Department of Bioengineering.

Slated to open in 2017, Clark Hall was designed by a team of architects at Ballinger and will be developed by Clark Construction Group.

Learn more about A. James Clark Hall: http://ter.ps/ClarkHall

Published November 21, 2014