Georgia Southern Opens Biological Sciences Building
Georgia Southern President Brooks A. Keel, Ph.D., leads the ribbon-cutting at the new Biological Sciences Building.
A new era in scientific learning and teaching is underway at Georgia Southern as the University officially opened its $41.4 million Biological Sciences Building during a ribbon-cutting this morning. In two years, the corner of Old Register Road and Forest Drive was transformed into a state-of-the-art, 21st century teaching and research facility.
“This Biological Sciences Building will serve as the nexus for teaching and research to converge to form southeast Georgia’s most comprehensive center for biological science education and research,” explained Georgia Southern President Brooks A. Keel, Ph.D. “By training tomorrow’s leaders and advancing scientific knowledge, this will serve as a magnet to attract new businesses and industries to our area.”
The new facility has more than 158,000 gross square feet that houses five active-learning classrooms, 10 teaching labs and 15 research labs that will be utilized by the more than 1,300 undergraduate and graduate biology students. The design encourages both collaborative and individual research projects. “This space will help us turn students into scientists and inspire their imaginations and creativity,” said Steve Vives, Ph.D., chair of the Biology Department. “When a facility accomplishes these goals, we can reach the best faculty and students and have them work to their potential.”
The Biological Sciences Building will play an important role in educating the next generation of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) leaders. U.S. colleges and universities have a goal of graduating an additional one million STEM majors in the next decade. “The key to meeting this goal is retaining students and keeping them interested in the fields,” said Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics Martha Abell, Ph.D. “This building with its state-of-the-art teaching labs and technology-enabled and active-learning classrooms will support our efforts to produce more STEM graduates.”
A view of the atrium inside the $41 million Biological Sciences Building at Georgia Southern.
President Keel thanked the Statesboro-Bulloch County legislative delegation, Gov. Nathan Deal, former Gov. Sonny Perdue and the Board of Regents for their continued commitment to find money for the project when funding was tight. “This is a proud day for the Georgia Southern family,” explained State Sen. Jack Hill. “As Georgia Southern forges ahead in applied research, this building will play a key role in that research. We believe Georgia Southern can be the next great research university in the state.”
Georgia Southern University, a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers 125 degree programs serving more than 20,000 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement. Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered approach to education. Visit: www.georgiasouthern.edu.
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