ETEC Self-Guided Tour

ETEC SELF-GUIDED TOUR ABOUT ETEC ETEC is UAlbany's largest Academic building on the Uptown Campus.

It contains 40 labs, 200 full-time staff members and 100 research partners. ETEC is home to the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC), the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) and the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) - Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences (DAES) & Department of Chemistry Research (OCR).

The co-location of these programs allows for collaboration across disciplines to tackle some of the world's greatest challenges. Working together, they are finding solutions to weather and climate change hazards and impacts, disaster relief, and the effect of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning on society.

ETEC's location on the Harriman State Office Building Campus provides UAlbany students experiential learning with agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the NYS Police Academy and Forensic Investigation Center.

PROGRAMS IN ETEC College of College of Emergency Engineering & Preparedness, Applied Sciences Homeland (CEAS) Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC)

College of Arts & Sciences Department of Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences (CAS -DAES)

College of Arts & Sciences Department of Chemistry Research (CAS - OCR)

INSIDE ETEC Scan the QR Code to view the UAlbany Magazine that featured ETEC.

First Floor 1. Science-on-a-Sphere ETEC's Science-on-a-Sphere is an 8-foot, interactive 3-D globe with limitless methods of visualizing data. Faculty and students use the sphere to discuss past weather events, weather and climate model simulations, worldwide cyberattacks, airline flight patterns, and anything else you can imagine! The Science-on-a-Sphere serves as the building's focal point and a spectacular outreach and event space.

2. Atrium UAlbany’s academic symbol, Minerva – the Roman goddess of wisdom- greets guests as they enter ETEC. The open space on the first floor is used as an informal collaboration and study area and hosts several University events and receptions. The 200-seat shared training room is used by University Departments and building tenants to host job fairs, conferences, training and student research showcases.

3. Engineering Labs The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences has several teaching labs located on the first floor.

UAlbany recently announced plans to launch a new Artificial intelligence (AI) Academy. AI involves the development of technologies that are capable of performing tasks that normally require human intelligence. From smart phones to search engines, AI has become so commonplace that it is both an afterthought and a critical partner in our daily lives.

Basement 4. Makerspace Our Makerspace is the hub for multidisciplinary creative productivity and innovation. Through hands-on experience, research, design, prototyping, and learning, students work alongside faculty to bring their ideas to fruition. The space has various modern and standard equipment including several types of 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines. The space is staffed with professionally trained CEHC student interns who help facilitate a professional and inclusive teaching environment.

5. Chemistry Labs State-of-the-art chemistry labs and equipment provide students with pioneering research opportunities with broad applications in semiconducting devices, cosmetic formulations, pharmaceutical compositions, and much more. Our students are training to discover solutions to modern challenges by developing and understanding novel types of materials. UAlbany Electrical and Computer Engineering students designed accurate, reliable and affordable tensiometers for the new polymers lab.

Second Floor 6. Emergency Operations Simulator The Emergency Operations Simulator models a real-world 911 call-taking station and uses the same technologies seen in the field. CEHC students receive hands-on training using the same technologies that enable researchers to study various aspects of disaster responses and make improvements for future responses.

7. Center for Advanced Red Teaming

Third Floor

The Center for Advanced Red Teaming (CART) is the first-ever academic research center devoted to the art and science of Red Teaming - the simulation of adversary decisions or behaviors, where outputs are measured and utilized to inform or improve defense capabilities. CART tests defensive systems to evaluate their effectiveness and identifies emerging threats by applying cutting-edge techniques to validate and enhance Red Teaming practice, training, and education.

8. Collaboratorium and Ops Command Center In the center of ETEC is the Collaboratorium - an open space for students to collaborate with one another or complete independent study. Adjacent to the Collaboratorium is the CEHC Ops Command Center (OCC), a carbon copy design of a real-world Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The room is designed for students to work inside the room, with an observation area with speakers so observers can listen to how the students are handling situations.

9. xCITE Lab The ExTreme Collaboration, Innovation, and Technology, or xCITE, laboratory is a state-of-the-art software development and data/visual analytics innovation facility. xCITE is a multi-disciplinary collaboration space open to the UAlbany public as well as public and private partners. With a unique combination of atmospheric scientists and computer engineers, the lab equips the scientific community with the tools and resources they need to take their research to the next level.

10. NYS Mesonet The NYS Mesonet is a network of 126 weather stations that collect, archive and processes data in realtime, feeding weather prediction models and decision-support tools across the greater New York region.

Their Early Warning Weather Detection systems, general weather forecasting, and data collection from over 1,800 sensors improve forecast accuracy, reduce uncertainty, and mitigate harm. In collaboration with government, academic, and commercial partners, the NYSM is solving real-world problems in agriculture, emergency management, energy, public health, and transportation.

Fourth Floor 11. Weather Map Room The Weather Map Room is a classroom and collaborative environment where weekly discussions happen between students and faculty from the Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, the National Weather Service, the Center of Excellence in Weather and Climate Analytics, and the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center. Blending expertise in research and operations, this room serves as the hub for the largest and most prominent coalitions of atmospheric science experts in the country.

12. Paleoclimate Lab The Paleoclimate Laboratory houses state-of-the-art equipment that allows faculty and students to study the chemistry and composition of corals and lake sediment to understand the climate of the past.

Using in-house equipment, data collection is completed within a week or two, instead of the average sixto-12-month turnaround when relying on an outside lab. Environmental Science students gain hands-on experience working alongside top researchers in the field.

Fifth Floor 13. Observation Deck and Green Teaching Roof The Observation Deck provides the perfect vantage point for viewing approaching weather events and monitoring real-time lightning. It offers students and researchers 180° views of the North, Northwest, West, South, and Southwest directions. The Green Teaching Roof allows students to research and measure storm run-off and groundwater measurements using state-of-the-art instruments.

College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC) - 518-442-5258

College of Engineering & Applied Sciences (CEAS)- 518-442-4556

Department of Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences (DAES), CAS - 518-442-4556

Department of Chemistry Research (OCR), CAS - 518-442-4400