By late October, pouring of the first floor's concrete slab was complete and work on the west wing's second floor had begun. Structural concrete pouring was completed in December, and much of the supporting wooden formwork necessary for that work has been removed from the building. Structural steel roof decks have been completed at the building's loading dock area, as well as over the auditorium. Workers are installing heating and air-conditioning ducts and equipment, and work has begun on the wiring and plumbing. It will allow us to take students, individually or in small groups, and do hands-on, original, investigative research.
Science is about both exploration and explanation.
This building is designed very well for explorations because we are going to have laboratories that will be as good as students would find anywhere in this country. The scientific process also involves explanation, and that includes communication. This building is very much about explanation - it is not here just to provide laboratories and classrooms, but to provide a place where students and faculty can discuss their work, plan, and dream.