University of Maryland Breaks Ground on New Chemistry Building

On the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Md., officials gathered recently to break ground on a new 105,000-square-foot chemistry building. The facility will serve the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and provide space for research and innovations in fields like advanced materials, energy storage, nanoscience, quantum chemistry and drug discovery and delivery.

“Today, we break ground on a research building that will accelerate innovation for the University of Maryland’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,” said university president Darryll J. Pines. “Thanks to investment by the state of Maryland and generous partners, this new facility gives us a competitive edge at a critical time to tackle grand challenges with leading technologies.”

The facility will feature amenities like 34 research labs, two core research facilities, and about 13,000 square feet of collaboration space. It will also have a grand colloquia and events venue for conferences and celebrations, as well as 12 smaller meeting and huddle rooms. The project is being funded through the state of Maryland’s capital budget.

“This new building will expand our legacy of leadership in the chemical sciences,” said Amitabh Varshney, dean of the university’s College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. “In this new chemistry building, our faculty and students will create nanomaterials for next-generation biosensors, fabrics and batteries; develop biomolecules functionalized to treat human diseases; and explore the chemistry required for quantum devices.”

The new building comes with a price tag of $116 million, $105 million of which is coming from the state, Pines said at the groundbreaking ceremony. It was designed by architectural firm Ballinger, and construction will be done by the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. The building is scheduled to open to students in 2023.

“We aim to be a Top 10 chemistry and biochemistry program, and this new building is the physical catalyst necessary to help us achieve that goal,” said Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor and Chair Janice Reutt-Robey.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Aims Community College to Build Workforce Innovation Center

    Aims Community College in Greeley, Colo., recently announced that it has broken ground on its new Aims Workforce Innovation Center (AWIC), according to a news release. The facility for workforce development, entrepreneurship, and education has a scheduled opening date of fall 2026.

  • dormitory with green roofs, solar panels, balconies, and labeled architectural annotations

    2025 Residence Hall Design Trends Focus on Sustainability, Flexibility, Community, Technology, and Well-Being

    With the most technically advanced Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) at the helm, residence hall design trends for 2025 look to focus on flexible spaces, health and wellness, sustainability, community, and digital technology.

  • Designing School Spaces for A++ Performance

    In recent years, the educational world has gained greater appreciation for the ways a space’s aesthetics, just like its acoustics, can positively impact educational outcomes. Consequently, engineering, designing, and constructing a school environment demands acoustics to be equally an art and a science, requiring architects and designers to see with their ears, while acousticians must hear with their eyes.

  • MiEN Releases White Paper on Community College Space Innovation

    MiEN Company recently released a new white paper called “Designing New Innovative Spaces for Community Colleges” to address the needs of community colleges post-pandemic, according to a news release. The eight-page guide by Dr. Christina Counts, MiEN Company VP of Education and Marketing, covers topics like the enrollment drop that these schools have seen since COVID-19, the roles they play in higher education and local workforces, and five suggested key changes that can improve students’ experiences.

Digital Edition