Release date: Oct. 30, 2002
Contact: Nancy Seideman, Director, University Media Relations,
at 404-727-0640 or nseidem@emory.edu

New Mathematics and Science Center Enriches Education and Research for Faculty and Students

Emory University’s Mathematics and Science Center opens the door to a new era of science education and research for the institution. From pristine physics laboratories in the basement, to a rooftop environmental classroom and observatory, the building gives Emory faculty and students unprecedented opportunities for learning, teaching and research.

The five-story center, a $40 million, 138,000-square-foot facility, is the new home for the departments of physics, mathematics and computer science, and environmental studies—all housed together for the first time. Students began attending classes there this semester.

"The Mathematics and Science Center changes the face of science on this campus and enriches the educational experience of the university," says Emory President William M. Chace. "The center provides a state-of-the-art facility that will enable our faculty to make major advances in teaching and research."

The exterior resembles the classical architecture of Emory’s older buildings, while the interior includes the newest technology. In addition to multi-media classrooms, offices and laboratories, the building includes the university’s first planetarium, a 180-seat lecture hall, and a rooftop observatory with a 24-inch telescope.

"The center is going to make science very different at Emory," says Robert Paul, dean of Emory College, the undergraduate school of arts and sciences. "By housing the departments together, the synergy among the disciplines will allow new opportunities to emerge that will provide a better education for students, and foster even more creative research ideas."

Nearly 25 percent of the building is used for laboratory space, with 17,055 square feet devoted to teaching labs and 15,918 for research labs.

The structure is essentially three buildings in one, connected by a slate walkway bordered by a floor-to-ceiling wall of windows and copper columns. The facility is nestled in a small forest of trees, some growing within a few feet of the building.

Emory’s newest facility is on track to become the second building in the Southeast to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification through the U.S. Green Building Council.

First place honors belong to Emory’s Whitehead Biomedical Research Building, which recently became the first facility to receive LEED certification in the Southeast, and one of only 28 LEED-certified buildings in the nation. The intensive certification process evaluates the environmental sustainability of building design, construction and operation.

The Mathematics and Science Center is the second phase of the university’s Science 2000 initiative. The first phase was Cherry Logan Emerson Hall, completed last year. The $25 million Emerson Hall, located across from the new center, includes chemistry department laboratories, the Emerson Center for Scientific Computing, a nuclear magnetic resonance laboratory and the integrated microscopy and microanalytical facility, in addition to classroom and office space.

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