The Center for Science and Business, a 138,000-square-foot structure, is Monmouth College's first new academic building since 1990. The innovative facility is designed to promote interaction among what have been traditionally independent departments,
Located close to the campus center to symbolize the central nature of science and business in Monmouth’s curriculum, the 138,000 square foot Center for Science and Business ushers in an era of innovation, collaboration and the integration of the science and business disciplines. The belief is that students who are able to understand the principles of both business and science will be better prepared for the increasingly demanding challenges of a global economy. It is the first new academic building to be built at Monmouth College in four decades and is believed to be the first of its kind at a college this size.
“We want our business students to leave here with a real knowledge of what’s happening on the cutting edge of science,” said President Mauri Ditzler. “We want them to be comfortable talking to science students. We want them to form contacts they will use later in life. And the reverse – we want our science students to be comfortable with ideas of business.”
Designed by the award-winning international architecture firm Burt Hill, the $40 million building stands in the 700 block of East Broadway, just south of Archer Ave. It houses the departments of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and computer science, psychology, political economy and commerce, and accounting.
The Center for Science and Business provides a better way to teach and learn
- Undergraduate teaching labs for Intro to Sciences, Ecology, Chemistry and Physics
- Upper-division lab space for Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Animal Studies and Aquatics
- Dedicated lab space for individual student research
- Psychology behavioral research and observation rooms
- Parallel, high-performance and networking computer labs
- High-speed imaging lab
- Laboratory prep rooms
- Three 50-seat lecture halls
- 100-seat demonstration auditorium with cameras to record experiments
- 14 seminar and breakout rooms
- Moot Board Room with elevated seating for lectures
- Student lounges and socializing spaces, including a café for informal study
- 50 faculty and staff offices
- Advanced audio-visual “smart” projectors and document cameras
- Anatomy and physiology lab for health fitness and cadaver studies
- Machine shop for specialized physics research projects
- Three computer laboratories for Mathematics and Economics, all fully equipped with presentation technology
- Two-story atrium designed to promote student interaction with each other and with faculty
- Cross-disciplinary facilities: Computer labs and learning spaces dedicated to fostering cross-disciplinary student collaboration
- Parallel-Computing Lab: Designed to accommodate senior-level research in accounting and business
- Anatomy & Physiology Lab: Allows the use of human cadavers in the teaching of both regular and advanced anatomy and physiology courses. A ceiling-mounted camera over the cadaver table will facilitate close-up viewing of dissections for the entire class
- Glass –Blowing Area: A dedicated area of the physical chemistry lab for creating custom scientific glassware
- Nutrition/Food Chemistry Laboratory: Rare for a small college, this facility has received Illinois Health Inspector Certification, which allows it to be used in the College’s entrepreneurial coffee roasting project
- Nuclear Lab: Built with 30-inch walls to protect the cobalt source, features a neutron generator and high-purity germanium detector
- Observatory: Mounted on the rooftop, the facility provides an excellent view of the night sky and allows for convenient viewing by groups of students
The Center for Science and Business was built in accordance with recommendations from the U.S. Green Building Council.
- A white, light-reflecting roof membrane reflects the sun’s rays for minimum heat absorption into the building
- Storm water is retained in an underground storage system to avoid water run-off
- Drinking fountains have a water bottle-filling dispenser to cut down on the use of disposable plastic bottles
- Windows constructed with low-E glass for energy savings
- Cross-connected ductwork system maintains minimum air flow throughout the building
- High proportion of building heat comes from “waste heat” recovery coils from the building exhaust system
- Eco-friendly thermal and sound insulation used throughout building
- Public electric car-charging station in parking lot