Rice Engineering Alumni (REA) and the School of Engineering would like everyone to know about the celebration and open house tomorrow for the expanded Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK).

It is Friday, Sept 6, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. The closest parking is the north lot (by Space Science), which for this occasion will allow visitor parking (by credit card) as early at 3:45 pm.

Event details are here:
http://oedk.rice.edu/Default.aspx?pageId=1677054

The official Rice news story is here:
http://oedk.rice.edu/news?mode=PostView&bmi=1378803

In case you don't know, the OEDK is a collaborative lab and work space where Rice students design, prototype and deploy solutions to real-world engineering challenges, whether for engineering design courses, off-campus competitions, nascent start-ups or student organizations taking on life-saving projects around the globe.

Since its opening in 2009 on the site of the former Marion Hicks Central Kitchen, the OEDK has had a transformative impact on engineering education, not just at Rice but nationwide. While the "kitchen" name stems from the building's particular history, universities across the country have copied the OEDK model and launched their own centers, which they too are calling "kitchens". The OEDK is directed by Professor Maria Oden, who in her short time at Rice has become one of the most esteemed teachers of engineering design in the world.

Tomorrow the OEDK celebrates its expansion by over 6000 square feet, by renovation of the building basement (formerly the site of the MOB band hall). Funds for this renovation were raised in record time from alumni, Rice partners and the engineering community -- as well as a significant portion from the student committee charged with directing the proceeds from the sale of the KTRU license, who quickly zeroed in on the OEDK expansion as one of the most urgent and important needs for Rice students.

It's a very cool thing. Please come.

Go Owls!

Mixed. Feelings.

As a Rice engineer alum, I'm happy for the Engineering Department. As a former drum major of the MOB, who spent many afternoons, and weekends, and nights, in the old band hall, and who's still waiting to see the MOB get a proper facility...not so much.

(09-05-2013 10:45 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  Rice Engineering Alumni (REA) and the School of Engineering would like everyone to know about the celebration and open house tomorrow for the expanded Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK).

It is Friday, Sept 6, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. The closest parking is the north lot (by Space Science), which for this occasion will allow visitor parking (by credit card) as early at 3:45 pm.

Event details are here:
http://oedk.rice.edu/Default.aspx?pageId=1677054

The official Rice news story is here:
http://oedk.rice.edu/news?mode=PostView&bmi=1378803

In case you don't know, the OEDK is a collaborative lab and work space where Rice students design, prototype and deploy solutions to real-world engineering challenges, whether for engineering design courses, off-campus competitions, nascent start-ups or student organizations taking on life-saving projects around the globe.

Since its opening in 2009 on the site of the former Marion Hicks Central Kitchen, the OEDK has had a transformative impact on engineering education, not just at Rice but nationwide. While the "kitchen" name stems from the building's particular history, universities across the country have copied the OEDK model and launched their own centers, which they too are calling "kitchens". The OEDK is directed by Professor Maria Oden, who in her short time at Rice has become one of the most esteemed teachers of engineering design in the world.

Tomorrow the OEDK celebrates its expansion by over 6000 square feet, by renovation of the building basement (formerly the site of the MOB band hall). Funds for this renovation were raised in record time from alumni, Rice partners and the engineering community -- as well as a significant portion from the student committee charged with directing the proceeds from the sale of the KTRU license, who quickly zeroed in on the OEDK expansion as one of the most urgent and important needs for Rice students.

It's a very cool thing. Please come.

Go Owls!

Update: I was able to get a sneak preview Thursday night -- the place is really cool!

(09-05-2013 09:27 PM)jwn Wrote:  As a Rice engineer alum, I'm happy for the Engineering Department. As a former drum major of the MOB, who spent many afternoons, and weekends, and nights, in the old band hall, and who's still waiting to see the MOB get a proper facility...not so much.

As another engineer alum and trumpet player in the MOB (and participant in the alumni MOB at homecoming for many years) I agree. The MOB is temporarily housed somewhere in Tudor fieldhouse - they really need a dedicated facility.

(09-06-2013 08:34 AM)AnotherOldOwl Wrote:  

(09-05-2013 09:27 PM)jwn Wrote:  As a Rice engineer alum, I'm happy for the Engineering Department. As a former drum major of the MOB, who spent many afternoons, and weekends, and nights, in the old band hall, and who's still waiting to see the MOB get a proper facility...not so much.

As another engineer alum and trumpet player in the MOB (and participant in the alumni MOB at homecoming for many years) I agree. The MOB is temporarily housed somewhere in Tudor fieldhouse - they really need a dedicated facility.

On the bright side, the East Gym in the old Rec Center is only the MOB's "temporary" home.

On the less bright side, the OEDK basement was the MOB's "temporary" home for 17 years.

On the depressing side, the brand new performing arts building halfway in-between Rice Stadium and Tudor Fieldhouse won't have a band hall.


The engineering school needed the space, and there's no doubt that the basement will be a much better engineering space than a musical space. It's just a shame that the MOB got shoved into another broom closet rather than a real band hall.

Maybe - just maybe - any new stadium facility will include space for the MOB. Access to large enough fields to practice formations during midweek practice. Biggest downside is the walk from the colleges.

(09-06-2013 10:22 PM)gsloth Wrote:  Maybe - just maybe - any new stadium facility will include space for the MOB.

We're talking more than office space, right? I have a hard time believing that any such facility wouldn't find a more... athletically-oriented use for the amount of square footage we'd be talking about. Much like the current "temporary" home, I also doubt it would be acoustically appropriate.

But hey, I'd love to be wrong; it's just that I'll be skeptical until I see the as-builts.

As for OEDK, it's good for the university's academic mission and on those grounds easily trumps The MOB. But... damn, we're now in a friggin' gym. HS bands wouldn't put up with this crap. (Silver lining: at least we're no longer subterranean.)

MOBweb - I am quite serious. I believe the MOB now falls under the athletic department's auspices, so I don't see why it shouldn't be accommodated. Get an acoustically decent room (certainly doubt it would ever be Shepherd School quality, but it never has been), maybe even above-ground if you desire (though heck - it was below ground in my day, too, next to Willy's Pub, much to its ultimate detriment).

gsloth - Then I seriously await further developments on this topic.

As for where The MOB falls, that's a cloudy situation. The band and Athletics are definitely in bed together; I believe any travel comes out of Athletics' budget (and we all know how flush that is right now). But beyond MOB/BOB, the Rice University Bands department is almost certainly not funded by Athletics, yet both share staff, facilities, and (often) membership. The majority of the budget (I think) comes from Student Affairs -- or whatever it's called these days.

Since the concert and jazz bands are available as for-credit courses yet have nothing to do with any sporting events, they'd still need to be accommodated year-round. While your statements sound promising, please forgive me for remaining somewhat skeptical as I've seen no department more financially stressed, and therefore more fickle in its decision-making, than Athletics. That should be a concern for auxiliary groups.

I'm in no way close to the situation. I have no knowledge of what is even being considered. I was just noting that I think that they should consider it. The MOB does deserve its own space, and it would certainly make some sense if possibly put in close to the stadium.