Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Friday, April 24, for a state-of-the-art facility that is expected to transform science education at Eastern Kentucky University.

Phase 1 of the University’s New Science Building, comprising 174,195 square feet at a cost of approximately $64 million, is expected to open for classes in the Fall 2011 semester. The first phase will house the Departments of Chemistry and Physics & Astronomy as well as science education (for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction) classrooms and laboratories. Phase 2, not yet funded but also estimated at $64 million, will add the Departments of Biological Sciences and Geography & Geology.

Speaking at the ceremony were Richmond Mayor Connie Lawson, Madison County Judge-Executive Kent Clark, State Sen. Ed Worley, State Rep. Harry Moberly, Project Manager Eric Zabilka with Omni Architects, EKU Faculty Regent Dr. Malcolm Frisbie and EKU President Dr. Doug Whitlock. Dr. John Wade, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, served as emcee.

The new facility will be located off Kit Carson Drive, just north of EKU’s health sciences complex comprised of the Rowlett and Dizney buildings. Currently, science classes are split between several campus buildings.

President Whitlock said the facility “will revolutionize the way science is taught on this campus,” citing the “remarkable quality” of the University’s science faculty. “Imagine what they’re going to do for our students, the Commonwealth and even the country when they have this wonderful tool at their disposal.”

Every baccalaureate-seeking student is required to take at least two science courses during his or her studies at EKU.

“The new facility will allow EKU faculty to do what they do best … even better,” said Frisbie, a professor of biological sciences who has shepherded the Science Building project through its planning and design phases. “The teaching spaces will promote the dynamic, collaborative, experience-based teaching that is so characteristic of Eastern. Second, we are cramped for space right now. The new facility will give us more space, and space that is designed specifically for our needs. It will be so much easier for faculty to work with students on research projects that I think we will see an even greater number of faculty-student research collaborations than we already produce.”

Aiding that research will be approximately $1.2 million in new science equipment, made possible by two federal appropriations secured by Sixth District Congressman Ben Chandler, who Whitlock lauded for his support of science education and the University.

“We need also to remember how many future teachers Eastern educates each year,” Frisbie said. “Now those future teachers will be able to study science in a state of the art facility. If we can turn the future teachers on to science – and we’ll have all the elements to do that – think what the ripple effect will be. Teachers will head to their new jobs excited to engage their students in science activities. The payoff to eastern Kentucky down the road can be enormous.”

The building and even the site itself are designed to raise environmental awareness and “function as teaching elements themselves,” Frisbie said. For example, metering systems will help students and visitors track energy usage in the building. High-efficiency glass will allow light in without transmitting radiant heat, thereby reducing the cooling load in the summer. South-facing glass is covered with material that also provides a radiant heat block.

“In general, we have attempted to make the building inviting and the activities inside visible. We want people to come into the building and want to stay. We want them to be intrigued by science – to want to do science.”

Phase 1 of the New Science Building will also incorporate a two-story lobby/commons area with a café. The lobby area can be arranged to host receptions and lectures for an audience of 200 or more. “We want people to gather informally to forge collaborations. We want students to stay after classes to discuss issues, work together on coursework, plan research activities.”

In keeping with the “green” theme, recycled wood will be used in the lobby for stair treads and some of the floor surfaces. In addition, hallways and classrooms will feature polished concrete, which eliminates issues related to adhesives and tile.

The science education classrooms on the ground floor of Phase 1 will open to an outdoor classroom behind the building (part of Phase 2). The Physics and Astronomy section will include studio laboratory classrooms so classes can be taught in inquiry-driven mode. “That is, no more separate lecture and lab,” Frisbie said. “Hands-on, discussion and explanation will now be seamlessly interwoven in classrooms that facilitate collaborative learning.”

Chemistry classrooms and laboratories will be positioned so instruments can easily be shared, and biochemistry labs will be situated near molecular biology labs (phase 2) to permit close collaboration.

Phase 1 will also house a state-of-the-art chemical storage facility to support all the sciences.

The area behind Phase 1 of the facility, to be completed as part of Phase 2, will house a greenhouse and aquatic beds. Further away from the building, trees will be planted and the area will be managed as a “natural area” where students will be able to measure tree growth and make ecological observations. An artificial outcrop, created from rock removed during blasting, will be used to teach and practice field geology techniques. Run-off from storms and the building itself will empty into a wetland on the side of the building closest to Kit Carson Drive. The wetland will house native wetland plants and develop, it is hoped, into a rich ecological community that can be observed and studied.

In addition to classrooms, teaching and research labs and office space, Phase 2 will also include special facilities to house the University’s natural history collections. EKU boasts the largest herbarium collection in Kentucky as well as an extensive collection of aquatic wildlife, especially mollusks, crayfish and fish.

Phase 2 will also contain a large GIS teaching lab and a GIS production suite. “GIS is … finding application in all sorts of arenas, including the field sciences and geography and planning,” Frisbie noted. “The facilities in the new building will provide a much better teaching environment … and the production suite will be able to serve the University and communities and businesses from the surrounding area, while providing a great on-the-job learning environment for students.”

Frisbie lauded the “true collaboration” that has made the New Science Building possible, citing the leadership and resolve from former President Joanne Glasser and current President Doug Whitlock. “Next, the two gentlemen who have overseen the project for the state (Carroll McGill) and the University (James Street) have said again and again, ‘Let’s find a way to do it.’ The architects (Joe Williams and Eric Zabilka with Omni Architects, and Janet Baum with Health Education Research Associates) have embraced the process we said we wanted to use and guided their team in working with us, as opposed to just working for us. Finally, faculty have been a huge factor in designing this building. Virtually all the faculty members of the various departments have contributed ideas, commented on plans, and helped draw up equipment lists … and have given willingly of their time and energy to work hard with the design professionals.

“And I think we all agree that we have a very special building because our collaboration has harnessed the best of what each individual brought to the process.”

The general contractor for Phase 1 is Denark Construction.

Concluding his remarks at the ceremony, Whitlock said, “In terms of physical facilities, there is no higher priority” than securing funding for Phase 2 of the facility.