In celebration of the
JeSSe W. MaSon BuilDinG
Fall 2013
Half a Century of Tenacity Well-known for his steadfast dedication to students, Jesse W. Mason served as a Regents’ Professor, Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, and as Dean of the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech. Mason’s commitment to fostering academic excellence reached beyond the practice of teaching, and his tenure was crowned by the 1969 completion of the eponymous new home to the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Inaugural visitors to the Jesse W. Mason Building lauded the elegantly formalist architecture, modern classroom design, and advanced technological components offered within the five-story, 90,000 square-foot facility. The establishment moreover alleviated a 1962-expressed campus planning need for office space, classrooms, auditoriums, laboratories, study space, and pioneered a physical focal point for student activity and leisure time within the School. In the five decades since, mainframe computer rooms, desktop computer labs, and lockers brimming with textbooks have given way to laptops tucked neatly into backpacks, but the School’s mission for fostering intelligent learning and working environments remains as firmly intact as the tenacity of Georgia Tech’s alumni, friends, faculty, students, and staff – those who have made the building’s recent major renovation a bright reality. A physical embodiment of our School’s spirit, the Jesse W. Mason Building stands today a highly effective, efficient, and healthy facility promoting collaborative research, teaching, and learning – and for that, we offer to you our most sincere gratitude. Fall 2013
“The Mason Building has been the center for developing my knowledge of civil engineering. I have attended special lectures in the new classrooms, met upperclassmen in the student commons, and been welcomed into the ASCE community. Thank you for your dedication to the next generation of CEE!� Maya G., First Year Undergraduate Student
“The new classrooms, resources, and installations make Mason more welcoming and conducive for learning and group studying. Thank you for all your hard work in making this possible.” Ore O., Undergraduate Student “Thank you to all who donated to make the renovation of Mason a reality. How pleasant and exciting it is to come to work in a new and interactive space. There are spaces for all – from faculty, to staff, to students – and we all get to enjoy the best the building has to offer.” Daniela Estrada, Administrative Professional III
“Thanks to the renovation of the Mason Building, we were able to reinvent and expand the Particulate Media Research Laboratory. The new laboratory houses an exceptional team, and the most advanced facility for sediment characterization, to serve the energy sector and the mining industry. We are most grateful to all donors who contributed to make this possible!� Dr. J. Carlos Santamarina, Goizueta Foundation Faculty Chair & Professor
“It’s great to have a new and upgraded facility! It certainly makes a positive difference to teaching and learning!” Dr. Adjo A. Amekudzi, Professor “Our alumni and friends approached this effort with a sense of camaraderie and dedication that has led not only a restoration of our building, but to a renewed academic spirit in the students, faculty, and staff who call Mason their beautiful new home. Thank you!” Jess Hunt, Senior Designer
“The School of Civil and Environmental Engineering has a world-class reputation – attracting the best and the brightest from Georgia and around the world. It’s only fitting that we match this reputation with state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities. Our students, faculty, and staff should expect no less.” Dr. Reginald DesRoches, Karen and John Huff School Chair & Professor
“We’ve created a space in Mason where students can come together at any time, plug in their laptops and explore projects. They can collaborate in a fashion that will allow them to be better prepared for what comes next.” Dr. Glenn Rix, Former CEE Associate Chair & Professor
“The upgraded classrooms are significantly more functional, with lots of white board space and multiple projection screens for handling multi-media. Thank you to all who pitched in to help us improve our classrooms!� Dr. Donald W. White, Professor
Select photos courtesy of
Thank you!