Breaking Ground: Stephen F. & Camilla T. Brauer Hall

In fall 2008, the University received a major commitment from Stephen and Camilla Brauer to help implement the long-range strategic plan of its School of Engineering & Applied Science. The commitment was made in the form of a challenge grant, which will match all gifts and commitments from alumni, parents and friends - up to the maximum of the commitment by the Brauers - that are earmarked for support of the annual and long-term needs of the engineering school. These include scholarships and fellowships, research, new and ongoing academic programs and initiatives, the annual fund and construction and renovation of physical facilities.

"Steve and Kimmy Brauer are two of St. Louis's and America's most distinguished citizens," Chancellor Mark Wrighton said. "They have been steadfast friends of Washington University for many years, and through their leadership, generosity and service, they have left an indelible imprint both on the University and the School of Engineering."

Building on Tradition
On October 29, 2008, ground was broken for the second building in a new complex for the engineering school, located near the northeastern perimeter of the Danforth Campus. Wrighton announced that the building will be named Stephen F. & Camilla T. Brauer Hall in honor of the Brauers to recognize their longstanding devotion to and impact on the University.

Wrighton said that since Stephen Brauer joined the Board of Trustees in 1991, he has championed the goal of accelerating Washington University's ascent among the world's premier universities and building a leading engineering school.

"The University has benefited greatly from Steve's wisdom and experience," Wrighton said. "As vice chair and now chair-elect of the Board of Trustees and chair of the School of Engineering's National Council, he is helping guide the long-term strategic planning process that will set the direction for both the University and the School as we work to address the challenges facing society in our fast-changing world."

Stephen Brauer, former U.S. ambassador to Belgium, is chairman of Hunter Engineering Co., a leading manufacturer of computer-based automotive service equipment for the global market, headquartered in St. Louis. Camilla Brauer is a leading figure in local cultural and civic organizations and has been recognized nationally for her volunteer work as a fund-raiser. "Kimmy and I are proud to be so closely associated with Washington University," Brauer said. "The University's growth and its rise in reputation in the last 20 years have been truly remarkable. We believe the School of Engineering has terrific potential both for Washington University and for society; as well, it can be a catalyst for economic development in the St. Louis region. We are happy to add our support to its success."

When Brauer Hall is completed in 2010, the 150,875-square-foot facility will serve as the home for the School of Engineering's Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering (EECE), provide space for the International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy & Sustainability (I-CARES) and share facilities with the University's highly successful Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Energy & Environmental Initiatives
In addition to new EECE labs, Brauer Hall will serve as the home of I-CARES, a major initiative that encourages and coordinates University-wide and external collaborative research with other regional research institutions. I-CARES is directed by Himradi Pakrasi, Ph.D., the George William and Irene Koechig Freiberg Professor of Biology in Arts & Sciences and professor of energy in the School of Engineering & Applied Science. Led by Pratim Biswas, Ph.D., the Stifel & Quinette Jens Professor of Environmental Engineering Science, the EECE faculty will conduct research with industrial partners on environmental engineering science, energy systems and chemical engineering. They also plan to be international leaders in addressing global challenges in those areas and environmental public health.

Bridge to a Bold Future
Brauer Hall will connect with Uncas A. Whitaker Hall, home of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, on all three levels of its east facade. It will present a seamless quality to those within the two structures to create an extraordinary physical presence on the northeast side of the Danforth Campus.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering, which was created in 1997, is chaired by Frank Yin, M.D., Ph.D., whose relationship with the Brauers extends back 10 years to the time when he was installed as the first Stephen F. & Camilla T. Brauer Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering. The department now enrolls approximately 40 percent of undergraduate engineering students, and, in just one decade, it has become nationally recognized as one of the top biomedical engineering departments in the country.

Preserving History
To continue the architectural style of the Danforth Campus, RMJM (formerly RMJM Hillier) was chosen because it has extensive experience in laboratory design and historic preservation. The new building will embrace the Collegiate Gothic style so characteristic of the campus, and which harkens back to the original buildings that form the Brookings Quadrangle - an architecturally rich blend of academic, ecclesiastical and palatial design spanning five centuries.

In addition to state-of-the-art research and instructional laboratories, classrooms and specialized teaching areas, several conference rooms, faculty offices and numerous student work spaces, Brauer Hall will house office suites for the dean of the School of Engineering and for the EECE department and its chairman.

An innovative feature of the new facility will be an 86-seat distance-learning classroom - the first of its kind at the University - that will be available for use by all academic departments and schools. Facing south, the main entrance to Brauer Hall will lead into a sunlit lobby that can double as a reception area, much like the atrium entrance in Whitaker Hall.

All of WUSTL's recent construction projects have been built with environmental sustainability in mind, and this building also is being designed as a green structure according to LEED specifications for a gold rating. LEED, the acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a nationally accepted rating system for the design, construction and operation of buildings that use its specifications for achieving environmental sustainability.

Stephen F. & Camilla T. Brauer
The company Stephen Brauer heads, Hunter Engineering, was founded by his stepfather, Lee Hunter, an automotive engineer famous for his inventions, which revolutionized the automotive service industry. A native St. Louisan, Lee Hunter attended Washington University, served on the School of Engineering Task Force in the 1980s and was a member of the Board of Trustees from 1982 until his death in 1987. Brauer started with Hunter Engineering in 1971 after serving three years in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He became chief operating officer in 1978 and chief executive officer in 1980.

In the past 20 years, Hunter has achieved remarkable growth through research and new product development. In the area of machine vision technology, in particular, Hunter has collaborated with Joseph O'Sullivan, Ph.D., the Samuel C. Sachs Professor of Electrical Engineering and dean of the UMSL/WUSTL Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program, among others, to bring that technology to the field of measuring vehicle suspension and alignment. He is past president of the Missouri Botanical Garden Board of Trustees, a partner in The St. Louis Cardinals Baseball LP, a member of St. Louis Civic Progress, and a director of Ameren. His long association with the University began in 1987 when he joined the National Council for the School of Engineering.

Camilla Brauer is a cultural and civic leader in the St. Louis region and is vice chair of the United Way of Greater St. Louis. At WUSTL, she serves as a member of The Danforth Circle Committee of the William Greenleaf Eliot Society. In 1996, the National Society of Fund Raising Executives named her the Outstanding Fund Raising Volunteer in the United States. Additionally, the Brauers have provided significant support for scholarships for students in the School of Engineering and in the John M. Olin School of Business.