Celebrate an exciting milestone for Virginia Tech at the grand opening ceremony of Innovation Campus Academic Building One in Alexandria on Friday, Feb. 28, featuring a keynote address from President and CEO of Wellcome Leap Regina Dugan, a Virginia Tech alumna, former director of DARPA, and current technology leader known for pioneering advancements in innovation and research. 

The event will be livestreamed.

How it started

The Innovation Campus was born out of Virginia’s successful bid for Amazon’s second headquarters with Virginia Tech playing a key role in the commonwealth’s commitment to growing a tech talent pipeline. The campus is designed to produce world-class engineers, computer scientists, and business leaders to support the region’s booming technology sector.

The location

Strategically located just five minutes from the Potomac Yard–VT Metro station, the campus is designed to fuel the region’s tech ecosystem, preparing graduates to tackle real-world challenges alongside researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers. Growing its network of innovation, Virginia Tech is poised to shape the next generation of tech talent.

What’s inside

  • Boeing Auditorium: A 3,000-square-foot space that seats up to 300
  • Collaborative learning: Includes 14 classrooms and 32 huddle rooms for student-faculty engagement
  • Cutting-edge facilities: A cyber-physical lab, a two-story drone testing cage, a dedicated space for K-12 Initiatives, and the Northern Virginia home of the Sanghani Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics
a crowd of people on the first floor of a building
The Virginia Tech community gathered for a first day of class celebration on Jan. 21. Photo by Craig Newcomb for Virginia Tech.

Research focus

Virginia Tech is driving discovery in four key research areas:

  • Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning: Developing next-generation AI systems for real-world applications, from health care to cybersecurity
  • Wireless and next gen technology: Pushing the boundaries of 5G, 6G, and beyond to create faster, more secure communication networks
  • Intelligent interfaces: Enhancing human-computer interaction through cutting-edge design, automation, and immersive technology
  • Quantum architecture and software development: Exploring quantum computing breakthroughs to revolutionize data processing and encryption

Building the future

  • Graduate programs: Academic Building One houses graduate programs in computer science, computer engineering, and business.
  • Growing faculty: Currently, there are 19 faculty members in the Innovation Campus academic unit, with plans for continued growth over the next five years.
  • Student pipeline: More than 500 graduate students take courses at Academic Building One. This includes: 35-plus Master of Engineering students enrolled for spring 2025.

Milestones 

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