What is PKI Student Info Facilities Contact Us About Omaha

Facilities

HEAD-IN ROOM

  • All cable, fiber, etc. enters through here
    • Cable to building is from Lucent
    • Electronics from Cisco
    • Mostly IBM computer equipment
    • 53 miles Electrical Conduit
    • 1.2 Million Feet Cabling
    • IBM Systems 390 Mainframe donated ($1.2 Million) by IBM
  • 8" diameter duct banks under raised flooring
  • Overhead cable trays take fiber throughout the facility
    • Can carry up to 3 generations of fiber
    • Design keeps us state-of-the-art

DISTANCE LEARNING CLASSROOMS (DLC)

  • three classrooms on first floor
  • equipment donated by Qwest (formerlly US West) and configured by DASCOM
  • a 4th room located on the 2nd floor and called the War Room also has DLC capability
  • allows for two way communication worldwide via satellite, ATM and Internet
  • ability to interface with business, industry, government and educational institutions on breaking technology and engineering/IT practices

COMPUTER LAB

  • lab reaches from the western end of the building to the lobby
  • contains general user lab and the center section used for IST&E students only utilizing specific software and higher capability machines for these curriculums
  • provides smaller break out rooms around the sides of the lab for group problem solving, interaction and networking needs-skills businesses tell us they need

STRUCTURES LAB

  • 5,000 square foot lab that is unique in the nation, allowing students and industry to perform destructive testing
  • floor system designed with removable concrete slabs that cover support braces, hydraulics and fiber
  • Reaction Wall resists up to 1,000,000 lbs. of pressure (Example: bridge beam can be fastened into the floor and attached to the reaction wall to determine its' strength and integrity)
  • 25-ton movable crane (largest in a University setting prior was 15 tons)
  • utilized for shared research and testing such as conductive pavement exploration

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY LAB

  • "floor drains" are actually connections for compressed air, fiber and electricity to the machines
  • Spaces adjacent: Concrete lab, metals lab, welding area, tooling area and CAD Lab
  • Contains unique manufacturing applications to include rapid prototype technology, precision die cut machinery, robotic lathes and a state-of-the-art robotic conveyer belt system for instruction and manufacturing applications

BUILDING MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

  • the systems visible here are usually tucked away and out of sight
  • students can observe & even modify the building systems settings to observe reactions
  • systems revert back to original settings after a certain period of time
  • big yellow CATERPILLAR generator ensures building does not lose power preventing interrupt to computer and other technical equipment

BUILDING SYSTEMS LAB

  • systems are isolated from rest of building
  • used for instruction, training and testing of the latest applications in HVAC, electrical, fire, security and plumbing systems

INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE LAB

  • "Electronic Window to the World"
  • utilizes the latest IBM research and innovation into real time language translation via the internet

INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION LAB

  • state-of-the-art lab using innovative and manipulative technology for real time data collection of traffic demographics
  • partnerships with National Science Foundation, Nebraska Deptartment of Roads, City of Omaha with international potential

LIGHTING LAB

  • high-tech lab to serve as a teaching and research facility exploring office ergonomics, impact on mood, productivity, special effects and design influences

NETWORKING LABORATORIES

  • latest networking routers, switches, etc. from industry leaders such as Cisco, IBM, Sun and Foundry Networks

GROUP DECISION SUPPORT LAB (aka: "WAR ROOM")

  • distance learning capabilities and serves as a strategic decisions classroom
  • purpose of interface with business, government, or academe for strategic planning, global outreach using abundant technological tools
  • often used so students observe how strategic planning and executive decisions are made

TELECOM LABS

  • one lab focuses on Engineering Telecom hardware and can simulate performance of all known telecommunications network systems
  • outfitted with latest fiber, switching, protocol analysis including Internet2 connections.
  • floor has copper wire running through it, all workstations are fully grounded and students will wear bracelets to prevent electric shock and/or static electricity which could interrupt the machine
  • partial ceiling allows students to see a finished look as well as what the ceiling hides
  • second lab designed to focus on telecommunications software study and research utilized by the college of IS&T
  • students in one college have the opportunity to take classes in the other so they could graduate with an understanding of telecommunications from both perspectives - makes for a powerful graduate that will surely be in high demand

MULTIMEDIA LAB

  • Used to study multimedia technology (virtual reality, graphics, animation, sound, music and video)
  • 3 research directions: 3D animation, synthetic music/digital sound, edit full-motion digital video
  • part of an Arts-Media Technology degree thru College of Fine Arts and IS&T

COMPUTER SECURITY 'STEAL' LAB

  • system is isolated from rest of building to allow testing of reliability and security as it relates to business systems technologies

CAREER RESOURCE CENTER

  • mentors, internships, summer jobs, the Business Seminar Series and other areas related to future careers will be made available to students
  • provides "one stop shopping" for students, business, and industry