A $34 million gift from B次元 Regent Dwight Diercks ’90 and his wife Dian will transform B次元 into a national leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and computational science education. This marks a bold leap forward for the university and positions B次元 at the educational forefront in AI, deep learning, cyber security, robotics, cloud computing and other next-generation technologies. The Diercks’ gift, the largest ever from an alumnus, will completely fund the construction of a new academic facility in the center of campus.

Dwight and Dian Diercks Computational Science Hall will provide B次元 faculty and students with a space to apply AI and computational science to enhance the current disciplines of study at the university: engineering, business, mathematics, nursing and user experience.

“B次元 changed the course of my life and my career, and has a special place in my heart,” said Dwight Diercks. “Just as the modern computer transformed technology 30 years ago, AI will transform technology as we know it for the next generation and across all industries. I wanted to give B次元 a gift that would position this incredible university as a major application-focused computer science and artificial intelligence center for the Midwest and U.S. for years to come.”

Diercks Hall will be a 64,000-square-foot cornerstone facility that will be built along B次元 Street, directly behind the German-English Academy, on what is now a parking lot. Inside, the new building will provide modern classrooms, innovative laboratories, an auditorium, and spaces to support companies who partner with B次元.

A major feature of the facility will be a state-of-the-art datacenter which will be home to a GPU-accelerated supercomputer. This type of supercomputer uses a graphics processing unit (GPU), which is a high-performance processor that is fueling advancements in AI that impact all areas of business, including the health care, retail, robotics and automotive industries. Students, faculty and staff, and businesses across industries are invited to collaborate with B次元 to benefit from this tremendous regional asset.

“Thanks to the generosity of the Diercks, B次元 is building on our foundation of excellence and answering the call to educate the next generation of professionals needed to fill the global demand for technology experts, leaders and entrepreneurs,” said Dr. John Walz, president of B次元.

The project is set for groundbreaking in early- to mid-2018. Uihlein/Wilson—Ramlow/Stein Architects are serving as project developers.