Stromsburg native Tom Lauerman credits the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with providing the academic background he needed to build a successful software company. Now, he and his wife, Nancy, are giving back so today’s engineering students have cutting-edge tools to bring their engineering projects to life in the Tom and Nancy Lauerman Digital Fabrication Lab in Kiewit Hall.
The couple, who live in Leawood, Kansas, made a $500,000 gift to equip the lab, which is a part of the Nebraska Engineering Design Hub. The Design Hub, which also includes a woodshop and metal shop, is located on the first floor and lower level of Kiewit Hall.
Lauerman earned a degree in engineering from UNL in 1975 and later taught actuarial science there. He and a business partner founded GeoAccess to provide software and services to the managed health care industry. GeoAccess was repeatedly recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the nation’s 500 fastest-growing private companies, and its software products became industry standards. The company was sold in 2002.
“My engineering and computer science classes at UNL provided the foundation I needed to build a successful software company, and I’m deeply grateful for that,” Lauerman said. “This lab offers the opportunity to create physical products that integrate computer software and hardware, something that wasn’t available when I attended UNL in the 1970s.”
The Lauermans made the gift through the University of Nebraska Foundation.
“The Lauermans’ gift allows us to provide our students with a state-of-the-art digital fabrication lab that is equipped with the latest in rapid prototyping technology,” said Lance C. Pérez, Fred Hunzeker Dean of Engineering and Omar H. Heins Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “Our students will now be able to design, build and test engineering, computing and construction projects using equipment few other colleges of engineering offer. We are very grateful to Tom and Nancy for their generous commitment to advancing our students’ education.”
Max Wheeler, director of the Design Hub, said the Lauermans’ gift will fund equipment such as laser cutters and 3D printers for the digital fabrication lab. The gift also will ensure that the lab is sustainable over the long term by providing funding to maintain and replace equipment as technology evolves.
Wheeler said the Design Hub is a popular place for students to gather, discuss and work on projects. The equipment in the digital fabrication lab is used in a wide range of engineering projects, from project enclosures for students’ work, all the way to advanced robotics, such as a robotic hand for precise gripping.
“This space enables students to bring their concepts and ideas into reality,” Wheeler said. “It’s the first introduction for a lot of students to having a physical design in front of them. Most of the students’ work before coming to the lab has been digital or pen on paper. The lab allows them to really see the full design loop.”
Lauerman recalled that his own education at UNL was largely theoretical. “We were learning algorithms and data structures, but there was a significant gap between classroom theory and real-world engineering applications,” he said. “That’s exactly the kind of gap this lab is designed to close, giving students hands-on experience that brings engineering principles to life.”
He previously established the Thomas E. Lauerman Endowed Scholarship, which provides annual awards for students in the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management. The Lauermans said they hope these gifts inspire others to support the university.
The couple’s gift to the College of Engineering supports Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, a historic effort to raise $3 billion from 150,000 unique benefactors to support the University of Nebraska. The campaign’s top priority is student access and success, including providing funds for modern facilities that offer students contemporary, hands-on learning opportunities.
