Aggie Square Now Open
Much has been posted about the opening of Aggie Square. It’s just started, and with much promise of collaboration and innovation in biomedical research, the potential is phenomenal. After a decade of planning, design, development and construction involving many partners and collaborators, Aggie Square is open.
But what is it that happens at Aggie Square?
Introducing the Biomedical Engineering Tech Foundry
In this post we focus on the exciting science and technology coming to fruition at the UC Davis Department of Biomedical Engineering facilities at Aggie Square – the Tech Foundry. The Tech Foundry is a dedicated support facility providing 3D printing, design, and fabrication services. The Tech Foundry, rightly so, is placed front and center, visible and accessible from the main common areas of Aggie Square AND the outside paseo connecting Aggie Square to the Main Hospital at UCDavis’ Sacramento Campus. This places the science and technology of the Tech Foundry on display as an essential partner to the science and innovation of Aggie Square.
Note: Joel worked with BME when building the first version of the Foundry on the Davis campus – over two decades ago. So it was exciting to see the advancement in technology, space and commitment. With over 10,000 gsf dedicated to Tech Foundry, the space is huge. And the equipment and staff are busy filling it up.
A Photo is worth a Thousand Words
Here are several thousand words. Below are images from a visit to the UCD Tech Foundry at Aggie Square.
About the above images
A) Tech Foundry equipment in process of installation
B) Examples of Tech Foundry products for biomedical research and health care purposes. The Tech Foundry provides support to UCD departments and researchers and to industry partners and can create a wide variety of three-dimensional outcomes. Materials used can match color and density of bone, cartilage, skin and organs for any species. UCD has a unique combination of schools in Agriculture, Veterinary, Medicine and Nursing – all that take advantage of partnership with the Tech Foundry.
C) Model of human heart for cardiovascular surgery preparation.
D) Physical model, coupled with the source 3D model used in conjunction with VR for surgical outcomes.
E) The Tech Foundry supports the new BME Medical Device Development program. This example creates life-size models of kittens for veterinary students. This includes varying materials with properties of bones for the ribs separate from the bodies. Students learn to intubate a kitten correctly with the models, counting ribs, marking the tube for depth and inserting into the model. Using a model has proven successful for students and safety of animals.
Links to some of the partners included in this article:
More about the Tech Foundry:
https://techfoundry.ucdavis.edu
More information on the new BME Master’s Degree in Medical Device Development:
UCDavis Health Department of Surgery:
https://health.ucdavis.edu/surgery/chair.html
UCDavis Aggie Square:
https://aggiesquare.ucdavis.edu
Wexford Science & Technology:
A note about SwiftEnvirons LLC
SwiftEnvirons LLC is a woman-owned small business specializing in healthy architecture and design. Susan Swift leads the current efforts is supporting CIRM (California Institute for Regenerative Medicine) and their grants across California. CIRM grants are funding shared research laboratories across the State of California. Construction started in 2025 at four host academic institutions. Joel Swift, with experience in planning, developing and operating healthcare and biomedical research facilities, provides Project Manager.
(c) 2025 SwiftEnvirons LLC