Rawl Engineering Practice Facility

The ExxonMobil Lawrence G. Rawl Engineering Practice Facility (REPF) is a perfect fit for the student of the 21^st century. This progressive facility provides a one-of-a-kind showcase for engineering education in the state of Oklahoma. The REPF provides all the tools required to bring an idea from concept to finished product and to recruit, motivate and develop our graduates to become professionals and leaders in their community.

It is this synergy of effort that the Gallogly College of Engineering is confident will inspire tomorrow’s engineers by exciting young elementary, junior high and high school students about the possibilities that exist in an engineering career.

$10 Million Education & Practice Facility

With approximately 41,000 gross square feet, the ExxonMobil Lawrence G. Rawl Engineering Practice Facility supports OU Engineering students. Student groups have been spread across the Norman campus, including south and north campus, in order to find space for their projects. When the Engineering Practice Facility was completed in Jan. 2010, many of the student groups relocated their projects here. The Practice Facility brings together all of the disciplines of OU engineering students into one centralized location. Additionally K-12 student groups are visiting this exciting facility to discover what engineering is all about.

There are five practice bays located on the first floor of the Practice Facility. Four of these bays are high-bay work spaces open to the second floor; the fifth bay is a one story, closed space separated from the rest of the facility by glass walls. The open bays have a hoist feature above them allowing for movement or display of large, heavy projects. The closed bay provides a work space for those projects that generate more dust and dirt, such as the concrete canoe. Each of the bays have a large, bi-fold hangar door opening to a green space facing Jenkins. Projects can be rolled out and displayed on temperate days. Students will be able to take advantage of good weather and have a larger open space to work in.

The Student Leadership Center is a support space located on the second floor. At its core, this space strives to support OU Engineering through serving its students. Project rooms have been included for the use of student groups. Open meeting areas will provide space for impromptu gatherings between students. Additionally, resume help, career planning and tutoring services are a part of this space. The key to this center is that many functions are in one centralized location, allowing more students to take advantage of all that is being offered.

This space will give our undergraduate students a location for hands-on application for smaller projects. Computer Science, Industrial Engineering and, Electrical and Computer Engineering students are able to demonstrate concepts they discuss in the classroom, and apply these concepts to hands-on applications. Students work on circuit boards, and build and test their own systems.

Collaborative space is a very important feature of the Practice Facility. Team rooms have been included on floors one and two. These rooms are available on a twenty-four hour basis to students. Additional collaboration space can be found in the second floor gallery. This space overlooks the open practice bays on the first floor. Students are able to view the projects and work going on downstairs without interfering. Small groupings of furniture are located along the perimeter creating gathering spaces for unplanned meetings between students and colleagues.

Students must go through a three-step process before gaining access to the REPF practice bays, machine shop and surrounding areas.

Students working in the REPF must read and understand the REPF Safety and Operations Manual.

Students working in the REPF must take the Safety and Operations quiz, passing with at least a 90% proficiency. Scores will be emailed to the student and to the Engineering Practice Coordinator.

Take the safety exam

Students will need to complete the virtual REPF Facilities Use forms.  These include the Waiver and Release of Liability, the Medical Form and Release, and the OU Talent Release form.  These digital forms are sent to students upon passing the safety exam.  These forms are FERPA compliant.

Once everything is completed, teams leaders can email the Engineering Practice Coordinator to setup virtual training sessions for new members.  Returning teams members who completed training last year will be able to gain access once they have completed the above forms and quiz.

If your competition team is traveling or testing a project, you will need to fill out the appropriate forms.  When performing an offsite test, at least 24 hour notice must be given to the REPF Coordinator via the Offsite Testing Form.  You can access this form below.

For travel, students will need to fill out the digital travel forms.  All students are required to complete the first set of forms, which they will obtain from passing the safety exam.  Students that are driving, traveling by air, providing a personal vehicle, or going internationally will need to complete the second set of form.  To access these second forms, students will need to register for travel with their team officer or advisor.. 

Team officers will also be required to submit a travel sheet and itinerary.  Both of these templates can be found below as well as the PMAP Canvas page.

If you need to use the REPF vehicle when traveling, you can access the REPF Vehicle Request Form below.   This form must be filled out at least one week prior to travel.  Additionally, the REPF Vehicle Policy is listed below.

Offsite Testing Form

REPF Vehicle Request Form