Back in 2014, VRFocus reported that Oculus VR CEO, Brendan Iribe, had donated $31m USD to the University of Maryland. The institution has now announced the groundbreaking of the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Innovation. Included within the institution are the Michael Antonov Auditorium and the Andrew Reisse Park, two features named after Oculus co-founders.
A new building designed for future-focused developments in computer vision, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and new computing platforms, the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Innovation is expected to open in 2018.
“This remarkable building will transform inspiration into new knowledge and innovation,” said University of Maryland President Wallace D. Loh. “We have tremendous faculty and student talent in these fields – Brendan Iribe is a great example – and now they will have the ideal collaborative space to enable success.”
Offering new opportunities for students and faculty to create new applications of computer science, the building is fuelled by the donation from Iribe along with a $4m gift from Oculus chief software architect and co-founder Michael Antonov and $3m from Elizabeth Iribe. These financial aids are helping to make the building possible and increasing scholarship and endowment support for students and faculty. Iribe, Reisse and Antonov met as students at the University of Maryland.
“It’s my hope that the three landmarks of the innovation center – the computer science building, Antonov Auditorium, and Reisse Park – inspire students to form friendships and teams that last a lifetime,” said Brendan Iribe, co-founder and CEO of Oculus.
Eight classrooms will feature interactive technology and enable collaborative group work, and the 300-seat Michael Antonov Auditorium will bring innovation out of the labs through conferences, hacking competitions and lectures. To honour the memory of Andrew Reisse, the rooftop garden will be named Reisse Park. Plans for the park include a peaceful sanctuary with natural water features and native plant life. VRFocus will continue to keep you updated on the progress of the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Innovation.
