A dream came to life Aug. 22 as California State University, Northridge leaders and dignitaries cut the ribbon on its Autodesk Technology Engagement Center, a visionary project designed to inspire and educate the problem-solvers of tomorrow. 

The high-tech facility is filled with spaces that will engage CSUN students as well as K-12 students throughout the region. The ATEC houses labs and other creative spaces that will be used by the College of Engineering and Computer Science, plus students from across campus. The center also will host equity-focused STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) programming and the Global Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Equity Innovation Hub, reaching students across the California State University (CSU) and the nation. 

The ATEC will introduce young minds to the joy of innovation, show them that careers in engineering and tech fields can include them, and give them the skills to become tomorrow’s problem-solvers. The center will reach students from a wide variety of backgrounds, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. It’s a space for everyone to learn and thrive. 

Visionary Support

Software giant Autodesk was a longtime champion of this dream, contributing more than $7 million to the ATEC’s design and construction. Students will have free access to Autodesk’s professional-grade design and make software, introducing them to 3D design and other AI-powered tools that many will use in their future careers. Autodesk also will play a key role in engaging with CSUN students and faculty, from providing internships and conference opportunities to shaping real-world learning experiences that connect students to industry partners and career opportunities.

“I’m thrilled to see the Autodesk Technology Engagement Center open its doors. This is a place where students and their communities will gain the awareness, confidence and opportunity to participate in defining the future,” said Andrew Anagnost ’87 (Mechanical Engineering), Hon.D. ’24, president and CEO of Autodesk Inc. “World-changing talent isn’t always found in the places you expect to find it, and we need to tap into all the sources of talent we have available to us. A core part of our mission at Autodesk is helping build the next generation of design and make leaders, and the ATEC will do exactly that.”

The Future of Work

Autodesk’s design and modeling software, such as AutoCAD, Inventor, Revit and Autodesk Flow Studio, is used by architects, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, product designers, manufacturers, filmmakers and video game designers, among other design professionals. The Autodesk Center is an entry point for all these career fields — and many more. 

“The ATEC represents a fundamental shift in how we approach education on our campus, integrating cutting-edge technology within an equity framework to ensure students from all backgrounds can explore careers in STEAM,” said CSUN President Erika D. Beck. “Our students will develop both the technical proficiency and the uniquely human capabilities that will define the future of work.”

The center was packed after the ribbon cutting celebration, as hundreds of people toured its state-of-the-art research, digital design and capture, and fabrication labs, as well as a maker space that will be open to the wider community. There are spaces for metalworking, carpentry, advanced composite manufacturing, and cutting-edge 3D printing and testing equipment. The center features an LED digital wall and computer labs for 3D modeling, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. 

A highlight is the 30-foot-tall High Bay Structural Lab, the only one of its kind in California. With its 20-ton crane and reinforced floor and reaction wall, it gives engineering students the rare opportunity to stress-test building and bridge components at full scale — helping them design infrastructure that is smarter, stronger and more resilient to climate disasters. 

Public-Private Partnership

Initially envisioned as a “center of possibilities,” Autodesk supported a feasibility study in 2020 for a center to expand the capabilities of the college and build space for interdisciplinary creativity, where engineering students could work with marketing and business students to bring an idea from conception to the finish line. Anagnost praised university leaders, elected officials and community partners who ran with that vision and expanded it. 

That support included a $25 million state allocation from California under Gov. Gavin Newsom, made possible with support from U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, then-Congressman Tony Cárdenas and Congresswoman Luz Rivas (then Assemblymember), who succeeded Cárdenas in California’s 29th District. Padilla also helped secure $1 million in federal funding. The building was designed by AC Martin and built by Hathaway Dinwiddie, working with CSUN administrators and facilities staff. 

Significant support from Apple Inc. resulted in CSUN’s Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub program, which has launched initiatives in the region, statewide throughout the CSU system and nationally. Using Apple technology, CSUN students built an app that provides a virtual tour of the building, giving insight into careers related to each room and including bios of diverse pioneers in tech.

A Launching Pad

Cárdenas and Rivas delivered emotional remarks at the ribbon cutting, with Cárdenas emphasizing that the facility is for everybody. Rivas, who holds an electrical engineering degree from MIT, spoke personally about how colleges can inspire students to dream — as a child, she took a computer class at CSUN. Master of ceremonies Robert Taylor, chair of the CSUN Foundation board, read a statement from Padilla calling the ATEC a beacon of hope and a launching pad for talent in the community. 

Beck praised Autodesk for its commitment to investing in communities across the world, addressing challenges like climate change and preparing workers to thrive in a world changed by automation. By championing the ATEC, the software leader has opened doors to talented minds who may never have otherwise considered careers in innovation. 

“I’m incredibly inspired by Autodesk’s commitment to leveraging their capacity for positive social change,” Beck said. “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter at Cal State Northridge, where technology serves human potential, where innovation drives equity and CSUN’s students will shape tomorrow’s solutions to today’s challenges.”

—Olivia Herstein contributed to this report.

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