Renovating the Science BuildingRenovating the Science Building:a faculty perspective

Our Science Building is Multidisciplinary

• Departments currently in building:– Biology– Chemistry– Earth Sciences and Science Education– Physics

• Other programs:– Great Lakes Center– Environmental Toxicology Labs– Physical Geography labs– McNair Program– Upward Bound program– New York State Health Department

• Specialized Facilities :– HIPERC– Science Education Center– Planetarium– Small Animal Facilities– Greenhouse– Radioactive Materials Storage– Volatile Chemical/ Gas Storage

• Potential additional occupants:– Mathematics Department

• would allow for more meaningful interactions with the sciences

– Animal Behavior labs from Psychology Department

• near small animal facilities that are shared with Biology

– Requires construction of additional space

The current state of our building- a brief tour…

1960’s “wedding cake design” Lobby is dark and uninviting

Long, dark, univiting hallways 1960’s style classrooms

Student Lounge

Student Lounge/Computer lab

Teaching labs are in poor condition

30 years worth of wear and tear

Faculty offices are behind labs or other offices

Classroom redeployed as computer lab/club

The renovated science building must provide modern spaces that allow programs to offer a pedagogically sound, modern learning

experience for the next 25-30 years

• Spaces must accommodate both traditional methods and new pedagogies for teaching math and science

BSC Science Building needs modern ventilation/hood systems to support teaching science and doing research

• Modern chemistry instructional labs require one hood per student and clear lines of sight

• Molecular Biology and Anatomy labs need good ventilation

• Geology/geochemistry often requires ventilation

Current Ventilation System in BSC Anatomy Lab

The Science Building requires air conditioning and climate control

BSC Research lab retrofitted for summer research

• Many programs run all summer– Faculty Research programs

– Undergraduate summer research

– Upward Bound

– Physics Alternative Certification

– Professional development programs

• Scientific instrumentation and computers often will not function above 78-85ºF

• Some instrumentation dumps heat into the space compounding the problem

• Building is currently too hot to grow yeast (requires 80ºF )

Corridors in building should be comfortable and inviting

• Spaces with light and seating encourage students to spend time in the building

• Students who have a sense of belonging are more likely to be retained

Modern science buildings incorporate spaces that bring people together and encourage interdisciplinary activities

• An atrium brings people together – Facilitates faculty-faculty, student-student, and faculty-student interactions

– Can serve as a forum for poster sessions, science and math open houses, etc.

Open stairways, clear site lines, and conversation nooks bring people together and encourage interdisciplinary activities

We need a building that gives Buffalo State Sciences a public face

• A facade that reflects the excellence in teaching and scholarship within

• An atrium can make a big impact both inside and outside the building

In contrast to what we currently

have….

Lobby

Main Entrance

Building elements should advertise who we are

• Building artwork can:– advertise our programs and research projects– acknowledge our many community partnerships

• Great Lakes Consortium • Zoo• Science Museum• Educational partnerships with the public schools

• Windows provide insight into how science is done

Consider the advantages of a State-of-the-art Planetarium

Dickenson Science Building Planetarium and Observatory-separate entrance to serve public access needs

• would give Buffalo State Sciences a higher profile, public face• would further strengthen our ties to the public schools

FNSS Science Building Planning Committee:

Kim Bagley - Chemistry (Chair)

Don Birdd-Science Education

Lisa Brooks - Psychology

Mike DeMarco - Physics

Kim Irvine- Geography and Planning

Harish Sikka - Great Lakes Laboratory

Gary Solar - Earth Science

Greg Wadsworth- Biology

David Wilson - Mathematics

We invite you to visit the building andwelcome your comments

To arrange a visit call 878-5933