At North Carolina A&T State University, “What they’ve done is great. What they’ll do is even better.” And the new Engineering Research and Innovation Complex (ERIC) building will help the university do just that.

Ranked No. 1 in the nation for undergraduate-level engineering degrees awarded to African Americans, the university was ready for a new, state-of-the-art interdisciplinary and multi-functional facility for academics, research, and community engagement. A scientific showpiece, the ERIC will be an integral component of the university’s College of Engineering.

When you stop by the ERIC, you’ll find students inventing new prototypes in the large makerspace, chatting with professors in the airy atrium, or debating energy savings versus embodied carbon in the courtyard.

Home to cybersecurity and network systems, energy and sustainability, and health applications, the four-story, glass paneled facility hosts everything from modern reconfigurable classrooms to “living labs,” designated spaces where learning, creativity, and practice combine in a way that is user-centered and open. Housing the Facility for Intelligent Robotics, Sensing, and Telepresence (FIRST), the interdisciplinary complex also includes a sophisticated vehicle-in-the-loop driving simulator called the Reality Emulation and Augmentation Laboratory (REAL). The 3D Holographic Design Studio provides a virtual environment for product development, digital twinning, medical diagnosis, and social engagement.

The ERIC is a hot spot for innovation. Faculty, staff, and students form industry partnerships and apply speed-to-market principles with new projects, prototypes, and job opportunities that impact the community. A leader in national and regional education, North Carolina A&T State University’s ERIC is the future of STEM education.