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The Chemical Fertilizer Called New Space T
he system of universities and colleges across the United States is continually working to improve the infrastructure that supports teaching and research. During the past decade, this effort has focused particularly on improvements in electronic forms of teaching and communication on campuses as well as renovations and new construction to enable expanded and modernized teaching and research. The economic ability to accomplish these goals is a foundation for a nation’s future: It produces a technologically literate stream of young people who will work in and sustain existing science-based economic enterprises and foster new ones. I have for several decades been intermittently involved in promoting and planning capital construction for science teaching and research buildings. It is a fascinating exercise to participate in—faculty groan about old facilities and then calmly enter a new one without realizing its coming impact on their performance and output. I have witnessed this twice before, and I’m close to seeing it again. I am sure that others in my position have had similar experiences. It is a satisfying feeling to see the literal quantum jump in research successes, and in hiring new faculty and attracting bright students, that accompanies the move from an old, decaying space to a new one. What are the important steps toward obtaining new space— in this case, a new chemistry building? The first step is convincing those above you in the food chain that an investment is not just needed but essential if your department is to survive (i.e., compete successfully against other institutions; attract faculty and students—or, at least, not lose them; access new research opportunities and grant resources; etc.). It helps if the proposer has some credibility with the administration; it helps even more if that person can establish a common purpose with other science departments. A significant aspect of this “pleading phase” is to avoid Faustian bargains—focus on what you are convinced your discipline needs to improve its teaching and research, rather than asking for something you think you are likely to get but which is not really what you want.
© 2005 AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
After success in the first stage, try to capture a role in selecting an architect (designer). A designer who is a friend of a trustee and builds apartment buildings will serve you poorly. The ideal designer is one with previous experience planning a chemistry building, who knows what chemists do, and who is obsessed with the details of satisfying their needs while at the same time insisting on safe work spaces for performing experiments. This approach can increase the cost, but at the same time it will enhance the building’s effectiveness by improving the quality of teaching and research in it and the duration of its usefulness. I am also a strong believer in “form follows function”; that is, an architectural design serves its occupants poorly if it does not serve their needs first, first, and first. The appearance of a building is important but not more important than its contents. Implicit in the above is that some faculty member(s) have to involve themselves in the process. It is foolish for faculty to imagine that a university administration, in its infinite wisdom, understands what chemists need in a building and can orchestrate its accomplishment. What is needed is a refined assertiveness. Further, it is important that the lead faculty member(s) and the designer involve faculty in assessing laboratory needs; if a low-vibration, tightly temperature-controlled, or low-noise environment is required, this has to be made evident. I am sure that some of my industrial chemistry colleagues will chuckle at this Editorial—they are more experienced in new construction. But even in a business, if the technical users are omitted from the planning process, mistakes happen and safety can be compromised. I hope this little guidebook proves useful to some spaceneedy chemists.
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