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Science in Stanley Hall will be more collaborative, efficient and visible beginning in 2013-2014 with a complete renovation.
The renovation projects modernize and reconfigure labs for optimal collaboration between chemistry, biology and biochemistry, better reflecting the way science is conducted today, and to give students more opportunities to participate in research across the disciplines.
A National Science Foundation-American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded project includes five “research neighborhoods,” that are organized by research themes and common function including analysis, biochemistry, molecular biology, support and synthesis. In addition, air, vacuum, nitrogen, high purity water and ample storage will be available in every lab. Additional renovations funded solely by the College include teaching laboratories, support spaces, offices and classroom spaces, which also will be arranged to optimize collaboration.
The exterior features a south-facing wall of large windows while nearly all of the research labs have glass walls facing the corridors where passersby will witness students doing science including splicing genes, sequencing DNA, heavy metal analysis, and using equipment including a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, gas chromatographer, mass spectrometer, a dual-view ICP, and an atomic absorption spectrometer among others.
Stanley Hall was built in 1972 and includes 45,000 square feet of space. The renovation, which will be completed in August 2013 and will pursue LEED certification, is Phase 1 of a three-phase plan that redesigns Earlham’s science complex. Phase II, which is scheduled to be completed in August 2015, includes building a three-story addition that attaches to the west end of Stanley and houses math, physics, computer science, Wildman Library, social spaces, and the Science Center for Integrative Learning (SCIL), which will further support cross-discipline collaboration. Phase III brings geology into the mix, showcases the Joseph Moore Museum, and provides a large lecture hall and rooftop research areas including a rooftop greenhouse.
Construction underwayOpening fall semester 2013
The plan for new and renovated facilities in the sciences will intelligently adjust, reorganize and reallocate the labs, classroom and preparation areas of Stanley Hall while providing a much-needed renovation. It will also serve as a model of sustainable technology, a teaching tool for the community, and a welcoming window into scientific practice. The College will pursue LEED certification and follow best practices for sustainability in the renovation of this facility.
Groundbreaking spring 2014Opening fall semester 2015
“The sciences are more interdependent than ever and these connections need to be fostered. Science facilities need to be visible, social, and interactive.” – Jose I. Pareja, Director of Wildman Science Library
This new facility will:
A key part of this design is the Science Center for Integrative Learning (SCIL), which will support and deepen the cross-discipline collaboration for which Earlham is known. The space is designed to encourage “collision” learning – the innovative thinking and unexpected collaborations that take shape when students and faculty from many departments share space and ideas. The SCIL will host formal and informal learning environments: shared colloquium and classroom spaces, project and private work spaces, and a state-of-the-art computer lab.
The building will also become the home for math, physics, and computer science – departments that collaborate with each other and all other scientific fields. Separate computer labs and a robotics lab will encourage state-of-the-art computer science and computational research. A first-floor location will provide a solid foundation for equipment and experimentation in Physics.
Through the SCIL and new collaborations with math, computer science and physics, Phase II will touch and impact every science department and student.
“We must prepare our students to succeed beyond Earlham, to be able to share their knowledge and passion in positive ways with the world. Integrated teaching and state-of-the-art research spaces in the new Joseph Moore Museum will allow our students to both practice in their scientific fields and learn to effectively communicate their passion to their colleagues and the public.”
- Heather R.L. Lerner, Assistant Professor, Director of the Joseph Moore Museum
Phase III will complete the college's science facilities, supporting science research and outreach through the Joseph Moore Museum, and providing a new home for the geology department, a large lecture hall, and an innovative set of rooftop research areas. While the need for Phase III facilities is perceived as less urgent than for the Phase II facilities, their completion is no less important to the science division's success.
The new facilities will:• Showcase the Joseph Moore Museum as a point of on-campus and community-wide connection • Provide a large lecture hall for use by all divisions of the campus• Enable all students to access rooftop research areas • Facilitate 21st century geology research and access to field equipment.
“This is our vision for the future of modern science and science education: collaboration among students and faculty of different backgrounds, working together on problems that span traditional disciplinary boundaries.” – Charlie Peck ‘84, Associate Professor of Computer Science
“This is our vision for the future of modern science and science education: collaboration among students and faculty of different backgrounds, working together on problems that span traditional disciplinary boundaries.”
– Charlie Peck ‘84, Associate Professor of Computer Science
