Groundbreaking set for Knowlton Science Center

By Courtney Weekley

On Oct. 1 the groundbreaking of the new Austin E. Knowlton Science Center will be taking place. The science center will bring new features for all Chemistry, Biology and Nutrition and Dietetics majors by the year 2023.

“Our program has a lot of limitations because of the building that we have, so I am excited for the new space we will have,” said Avery Carter, Nutrition and Dietetics major.

The new building will have new resources that weren’t offered previously to Nutrition and Dietetics majors. Newer features will allow students within the field to be more up to date within nutrition and dietetics.

The yearly Harvest Dinner hosted by nutrition and dietetics students will now be able to be prepared within the new building. Those students previously had to be resourceful with the use of only two refrigerators and a freezer. With the new building, there will be more to offer such as cooking demonstrations for Lunch and Learn and bigger prep space areas for Harvest Dinner in the future years.

Biology and chemistry students will now have the opportunity to use large monitors. These large monitors will allow students to perform wet-lab experiments and use the monitors for animations or videos. New hood spaces will be installed so more students can occupy the labs at once and be protected from volatile compounds. The hood space benefits students to be able to accommodate more within the classrooms.

With the current Shoker Science building being mostly underground, it is much smaller than the Knowlton Science Center. With this new science center, students will have the opportunity to be more efficient in their studies.

The structure of the building has more to offer as well with large windows and bigger classrooms. The larger windows and classrooms will offer more lighting and a more welcoming space to students and professors. There will be windows put in classrooms too so science experiments can be observed while students are working.

“It will be exciting to have lots of light and lots of windows,” said Dr. Angie Montel, professor of biology. “It will add a more uplifting spirit.”

A spacious lobby was sure to be included when making a building design so students can work outside of the classroom to collaborate and study.

“I think that it is important that we value science, especially because these future students are doctors, nurses and dietitians,” said Carter. “Science should be something that we should invest in.”