Since the College of Pharmacy moved to the Health Science Campus last spring, projects in the vacated wing in the Bowman-Oddy Laboratories have been underway, including a Center for Biosphere Restoration Research.
The approximately $8 million project will be done on three biology labs on the second and third floor on the south wing of Bowman-Oddy and will be "dedicated to research and education in science needed to secure an environmentally sustainable future" according to a press release.
According to the press release, the center will have facilities for mentoring and training student researchers.
Currently, there is "a barrier between the lab and student," according to Associate Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Geoffrey Martin.
"The purpose of the mentoring center [at Bowman-Oddy] is to get students into the lab quicker," he said. "They will have tutoring and be able to watch videos on how to handle equipment."
The center will focus on enhancing student research as well as upgrading the capabilities of environmental research laboratories.
"The center supports goals to involve undergraduate students in research. There's a need for research training, not only scientists, but business majors and pharmacists too. This proposal has done the maximum to provide that," said Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Nina McClelland.
At the UT Health Science Campus, the Howard L. Collier Building, which will be home to most pharmacy classes, just underwent an additional 25,000 square foot renovation that included an auditorium-style teaching space with 500 seats.
It can be broken up into two separate classrooms, each with 250 seats.
The Collier Building's dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held yesterday.
"This renovation project creates state-of-the-art classrooms needed to train future health care professionals," said Health Science Campus Provost Jeff Gold.
According to the press release, the building was constructed out of a $4.8 million fund that went towards various construction projects on the Health Science Campus.
In addition to the auditorium, there was also a 100-seat classroom, two 40-seat classrooms, and student lounge areas added during this renovation.
The renovation has provided students with the opportunity to learn through distance learning programs.
In the press release, Dean of the College of Nursing Tim Gaspar said, "[The Collier Building] incorporates the highest level of instructional technology that is currently available. We are bringing the lab into the classroom in a way we have never been able to before."
"The addition to the Collier Building will allow for added flexibility of scheduling and allows us to host the College of Pharmacy here on the Health Science Campus. The addition allows us to press forward with the vision of the University of Toledo," said Associate Dean of Preclinical Medical Education Carol Bennett-Clarke.
"The end result is not just a beautiful classroom, the end result is what takes place in it," said UT President Lloyd Jacobs.
The Bowman-Oddy renovations are expected to be completed in the spring 2011 semester.
Of the $8 million that went towards the Bowman-Oddy renovation project, $3.6 million came from a National Science Foundation grant and $4.4 million came from UT.
Only about 10 percent of all projects that apply for a NSF grant actually receive it, according to McClelland.
"[The renovations] are student-centered," Martin said. "The key thing that interested NSF was that we are building an undergraduate facility for undergraduate research."
The grant that UT received for the Center for Biosphere Restoration Research ranks in the top five of all projects funded by NSF, according to Martin.
"To win this award is outstanding," McClelland said. "The uniqueness of our concept, it's awesome."
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