When the spring semester began in January, students and faculty in the Natural Sciences Division eagerly returned to the labs, classrooms and offices of Strosacker Science Center after a semester of being displaced. The 41-year-old facility now breathes new life with the Joseph H. Moss Family Laboratory Wing, an extension of Strosacker that provided much-needed additional space as well as renovations.

After a semester of having temporary offices across campus in College houses, holding classes in Lane Hall and doubling up laboratories in the Dow Science building, those professors with offices in Strosacker were thrilled to return to their newly renovated, and in some cases enlarged, offices, not to mention the joy of returning to the convenience of having labs and classrooms in the same building again.

“Things were very hectic last semester,” said Dr. Chris VanOrman, dean of the Natural Sciences Division and associate professor of chemistry. “We were constantly moving things in and out of labs.”

The old Strosacker building has been freshened with new paint, flooring, ceiling tiles, signage, office furniture and air handling system upgrades. The Moss Wing expanded seating in the three existing tiered lecture halls and added new offices and labs. Additionally, the building’s exterior was reskinned and now blends in with the architectural style of the other front campus buildings.

The Chemistry Department, located on the third floor, boasts a new organic/general chemistry lab, featuring 24 hoods, 24 computers, two printers and a projector screen, and a preparation room. “Everything can be in one place now,” VanOrman said. “Instead of starting in a classroom and moving to the lab, we can do everything right here.”

On the ground floor, home to the Biology Department, a new greenhouse with an adjacent workroom greets those who enter on the south end. Also new are a microbiology/cell biology lab, an anatomy/physiology lab, a conservation/genetics lab and a water lab.

The Physics Department’s greatest need was for storage, so a large storage room was added that can be converted into a physics lab in the future.

With all this new space came a need for equipment to fill it. After receiving a $266,516 grant from the E.L. Wiegand Foundation of Reno, Nevada, the Natural Sciences Division purchased a new autoclave, also known as a scientific laboratory steam sterilizer, to replace an existing 23-year-old unit. Additionally, several instruments were purchased for the new biology labs, including a centrifuge, which harvests cells and prepares them for analysis; an aquatic habitat system; human physiology teaching kits; microscopes; and computer equipment.

The additions to the Biology and Chemistry Departments offer opportunities for classes and programs that previously could not be accommodated. “We hired a biochemistry professor and approved a new biochemistry major and minor,” VanOrman said. “We’ve also hired a new biology professor—a population geneticist—who will begin teaching this fall.”

Students love the new resources that this addition offers them. “The labs are much larger and more professional looking,” said senior biology major Jennifer Gunderson. “With the ample space, new computers and separate room for PCR procedures, the conservation lab is going to be so much more efficient. As a senior, however, I just get a little taste of what everyone else gets to enjoy for years to come.”

Renovations continue on a few areas of Strosacker, including student study lounges on each floor and the north entrance to the building, among other areas. An over-life-size bronze sculpture of Margaret Thatcher will stand outside the building as another addition to the College’s Liberty Walk. All construction is expected to be completed in time for the building’s dedication during Commencement Weekend in May.

“We can teach science like we’ve never taught it before,” VanOrman said. “We designed the new classrooms and labs to accommodate the way we want to teach. It’s just perfect now with a really nice atmosphere in here.”