By Hunter Harper
Contributing Writer
North Central College’s dream of the new science center’s is presently a reality in progress. Not only are the students eager to see the transformation, the faculty are on the edge of their seats as well.
“We want the new facilities to highlight the interdisciplinary nature of science,” said Dr. Jeffery Bjorklund, professor of chemistry. The college would benefit more if all the disciplines of science were all in “one place,” he said.
“Even though Goldsphon is only across the way, it feels like crossing the Grand Canyon sometimes,” said Dr. Gregory Ruthig, professor of biology. “Students will really benefit from the close interactions. Collaboration, number one, will be awesome for us.”
Having all the disciplines in one place will create a “more communal” environment for learning, Bjorklund said. Ultimately it will highlight the nature of science and create more conversation between the different disciplines.
With the creation of the new building, comes the transformation of the old building. “We are only gaining, not losing,” Ruthig said. “One thing I’m hoping to do is use aquarium tanks as the glass walls between the rooms to view all the animals, which also makes the rooms look bigger.”
What North Central hopes to do is to remodel the building into a place with larger, proper size classrooms and get the entire faculty into offices in a building with classrooms and labs. This will make it more convenient for students to interact with their professors in one place.
“I’m a field biologist, so this may sound silly, but we will have a boot room with showers and rinse stations,” Ruthig said. “There will also be animal care facilities, so I’m super excited. The best part of North Central is the students get their hands on every bit of research.”
“Aesthetically it will be cool,” Ruthig said. “Sciences are the real strength at North Central, so the new science center will be great for attracting new students and for current students to work in.”
Working with an architect firm to get the process going and design the building is the first step. Once the building is designed and planned out, fundraising can begin.
