Oct. 18, 2021
Media Advisory: Groundbreaking for Chemistry Building Renovation and New Facility Dedicated to Collaborative Learning
- What: Groundbreaking ceremony for renovation of the University of Arizona Chemistry Building and construction of a new building dedicated to collaborative learning.
- When: Tuesday, Oct. 19, 8:30 a.m.
- Where: South side of the University of Arizona Mall, opposite the Student Union Memorial Center
- RSVP: Email media_requests@list.arizona.edu if you plan to attend.
TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of Arizona will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for a $42 million renovation of the historic Chemistry Building and construction of a new building dedicated to collaborative learning.
The new 78,600-square-foot facility for teaching and learning, located on the south side of the University of Arizona Mall, will be the future home of classrooms designed to encourage cooperation, inclusive practices and active learning to increase student and faculty engagement, and help students develop workplace-relevant skills.
Spread between the new building and renovated Chemistry Building will be seven collaborative classrooms with 30 to 200 seats each. The name of the new building is expected to be unveiled during Tuesday's event.
In addition to four collaborative classrooms, the renovated Chemistry Building will contain departmental and advising offices, as well as several faculty offices for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; renovated space for nuclear magnetic resonance equipment and electronic and metal shops; a new General Education Office; and three teaching studios for online instruction.
Project managers expect to complete the work in December 2022.
Tuesday's groundbreaking will include remarks from University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Liesl Folks, Senior Vice Provost Gail Burd, College of Science Dean Carmala Garzione, Franke Honors College Associate Dean John Pollard and one of his students, and Alison Rainey and Corky Poster, two of the architects on the project. Speakers will be available for interviews following the event.
The new building and renovation are part of the University of Arizona's commitment to improving and creating innovate classrooms in convenient, central campus locations.
The collaborative learning facility is part of the "Institutional Excellence" pillar of the university's strategic plan.
# # #
Media contact:
Jason Ground
University Communications
Office: 520-621-8563| Cell: 520-954-0175
jground@arizona.edu
The University of Arizona, a land-grant university with two independently accredited medical schools, is one of the nation's top 50 public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. Established in 1885, the university is widely recognized as a student-centric university and has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. The university ranked in the top 20 in 2019 in research expenditures among all public universities, according to the National Science Foundation, and is a leading Research 1 institution with $734 million in annual research expenditures. The university advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships as a member of the Association of American Universities, the 66 leading public and private research universities in the U.S. It benefits the state with an estimated economic impact of $4.1 billion annually. For the latest on the University of Arizona response to the novel coronavirus, visit the university's COVID-19 webpage.