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CORVALLIS - Executives of Intel Corp. announced at the groundbreaking for the new Kelley Engineering Center at Oregon State University that the company will make a major donation of wireless equipment to develop a comprehensive wireless network at OSU.

The "dual mode" network will enable wireless connectivity in a total of 16 buildings on the OSU campus, including the new Kelley Engineering Center and all other buildings in the College of Engineering, three College of Science buildings, and the Memorial Union.

"Intel understands the needs of higher education and the value of producing more engineers to build a more diverse economy, and we're very grateful for their support," said Ron Adams, dean of the College of Engineering. "This will greatly improve the educational infrastructure for all OSU students."

The donation consists of wireless access points and wireless LAN cards for laptops, and will enable the university to rapidly expand and accelerate its wireless teaching program. This is part of a larger effort, officials say, to create a campus-wide, wireless-based learning environment.

The College of Engineering's goal in the next three years is to integrate mobile wireless technology into at least 10 engineering, mathematics, and science courses. When the integration is completed, it is anticipated that the network will be used by over 3,800 engineering students per year.