New Shankar Computer Science Laboratory opens for students
Author: UNB Faculty of Computer Science
Posted on Oct 3, 2022
Category: Alumni Spotlight , News
Computer science students at UNB are thrilled with the technology and convenience of the new Shankar Computer Science Laboratory, which was opened at the beginning of the Fall 2022 academic year, and officially dedicated on September 26th.
The new lab, made possible through a $1M gift from UNB alumnus Subramonian Shankar (MScEE'76), includes 74 workstation class machines and, in an historic first for UNB, an additional 70 machines with infrastructure allowing access to the computer science laboratory’s resources globally. This enables the lab to be used during off hours when students can access the computers from the convenience of their homes.
Mr. Shankar made a visit to campus for the dedication of the lab, and to receive the honour of being inducted into UNB's Engineering Wall of Fame. It was the first time he'd been back to campus since he graduated in 1976. Since then, he's been highly successful as a technology entrepreneur, founding and leading American Megatrends Inc. (AMI), an international company committed to innovation supplies hardware, software and utilities around the globe. Mr. Shankar, still Chair of the Board of AMI, has also recently embarked on a new venture, AmZeta Technologies, of which he is founder and President.
“A gift of this magnitude, from an industry leader of Mr. Shankar’s stature, is a huge vote of confidence,” said UNB President Dr. Paul Mazerolle. “This laboratory will help accelerate the digital transformation of New Brunswick.”
After graduating from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras with a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering, Mr. Shankar says he was able to do a MSc in Electrical Engineering from UNB because of the generous financial support received from UNB. "Without receiving a TA position and various other supports, getting a master’s degree would have been a dream. When I came to UNB, I found a supportive environment and kindness personified. The two years I spent in Fredericton were two of the best years of my life."
"It has been my goal to give back to society, especially to UNB," Mr. Shankar said. "What better way to do that than to contribute to the renovation of the computer science lab, which is being used by hundreds of students every year."
