Northeastern selects location for new graduate campus in Seattle

Northeastern University on Tuesday announced the location of its new graduate campus in the growing South Lake Union neighborhood, an innovative hub of global health, life sciences and technology companies and institutions that complements the graduate degrees offered by the university.

Located at 401 Terry Avenue North, Northeastern University–Seattle will share the headquarters building of the Institute for Systems Biology, one of Seattle’s premier, nonprofit research organizations. The collaboration with ISB is one of many research partnerships the university plans to develop.

“As a nexus of innovation, South Lake Union is the ideal location for a global research university like Northeastern,” said Tayloe Washburn, dean and CEO of Northeastern University–Seattle. “With centrally located South Lake Union as our home base, we are energized to bring a new nonprofit research university to Seattle to assure that the companies and organizations in our region have the high-quality talent they need to grow and succeed.”

Northeastern’s graduate campuses strategically align the university’s educational and research strengths with the needs of the regions’ high-profile industries. Opening in early 2013, Northeastern University–Seattle will offer 15 graduate degree programs ranging from cybersecurity and computer science to health informatics and engineering. Each program is designed to meet the needs of the Puget Sound region’s innovative technology sector, which is anchored by employers such as Microsoft, Amazon.com and Boeing, and fueled by a vibrant startup culture.

“By locating in South Lake Union and partnering with institutions like ISB, Northeastern University is making a strong statement about its commitment to building strategic partnerships with regional employers and research partners that will benefit students’ career success,” said Lee Hood, CEO of ISB. “ISB is very excited about partnering with Northeastern to create innovative academic offerings for courses in new programs such as systems biology and personalized medicine.”

A Northeastern alumnus, Ken Stuart, president emeritus and founder of Seattle BioMed, welcomed his alma mater to the South Lake Union community.

“I had my undergraduate education at Northeastern University, and I’m thrilled the university is creating a graduate campus in Seattle and bringing its leadership in graduate education and experiential learning to the region,” Stuart said. “Northeastern students in Seattle will have a great opportunity to learn from expert faculty and be part of a distinguished global network.”

All Northeastern University students and alumni have access to the same global network of resources, whether they are enrolled at the Seattle or Charlotte graduate campuses or at the university’s main campus in Boston. Students will benefit from the mentoring and expertise of Northeastern’s world-class faculty.

Northeastern’s faculty will teach industry-aligned graduate programs both online and on-site at the Seattle campus. This hybrid learning approach combines the traditional benefits of face-to-face instruction with the flexibility of online learning.

“Northeastern University will add great value to our local tech entrepreneurs and companies throughout Washington state,” said Susan Sigl, CEO of the Washington Technology Industry Association. “The university’s focus on industry-aligned degrees and local partnerships is a powerful combination for Washington students and employers.”

The new location also represents leadership in sustainability, as the ISB building is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum-certified, the highest level of this sustainable certification. The campus, which features meeting and reception space, as well as modern classrooms with cutting-edge technology, including advanced video conferencing equipment, is in the center of many of the region’s most dynamic companies and organizations.

The new graduate campus space will also feature a one-of-a-kind art installation by Seattle-based artist J.P. Canlis, who is known for his steady tide of artistic creativity in the glass art genre. The installation, titled “Connectivity,” will draw visitors into the space and illustrate the interconnectivity among the Northeastern community and its global networks.