Washington State University will dedicate a space in its forthcoming Schweitzer Engineering Hall to Glen L. Hower, an electrical engineering professor who passed away in January. The designation of Glen Hower Hall aims to honor Hower’s 43-year tenure at WSU and his contributions to the university’s engineering programs. This initiative has received backing from Ed Schweitzer, founder of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, and his wife Beatriz.

Edmund Schweitzer remarked on Hower’s role as a professor and leader within the electrical engineering department, suggesting that the establishment of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories may have been influenced by Hower’s work.

Hower, a WSU alumnus, obtained his bachelor’s degree in 1956 and a master’s in electrical engineering in 1961, later earning his Ph.D. at Stanford as a Ford Foundation Fellow. His initiatives at WSU included the creation of the Power Professorship program in 1973 and the founding of the Western Protective Relay Conference.

During his career, Hower held the position of department chair and played a key role in the merger of electrical engineering with the computer engineering program in 1983. He also became an associate director when the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science was formed in 1990. Over his career, he taught nearly 4,500 students.

The new Schweitzer Engineering Hall, a project costing $80 million, is set to open in fall 2026, funded by a combination of donor contributions and state support.