HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Northern Kentucky University (NKU) has officially broken ground on an expansion project that will add 85,400 square feet to the Dorothy Westerman Hermann Science Center. University leaders and stakeholders held a ceremony on Oct. 30 to celebrate the project. ��

The $86 million expansion will enhance both lab resources and research centers while prioritizing collaboration. The building will house academic programs and STEM-focused disciplines within one state-of-the-art building. In addition to the new construction,19,000 square feet of the existing science center will also be renovated. The large public entrance will be made into a plaza, and the lobby will be a two-story atrium.��

The project was largely driven by increased student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematic programs. The Hermann Science Center initially opened in 2002, and since then student interest in STEM-focused programs has steadily risen by 50%. ��

“The new facility will provide our natural sciences and engineering technology programs with a competitive edge, supporting our growing enrollment in these critical fields while allowing us to continue to provide an accessible and high-quality education for all,” said Cady Short-Thompson, NKU president in a statement to the university’s website. “It underscores our unwavering commitment to excellence in STEM+Health education and research, positioning NKU as a regional leader in innovation, workforce alignment and academic achievement.”����

The added space will physically accommodate growing enrollment in science-related studies by implementing new technology, upgraded instrumentation and offering a centralized environment for cross-disciplinary studies from biology to mathematics. Seven new labs with computing and engineering capabilities will be included in the project as well as labs focusing on anatomy and physiology to support pre-medicine and health studies. Geological sciences will also be receiving two new and expanded labs for their studies. Open lounge and study spaces will be accessible on every floor of the new space, and student advising will be supported through the addition of more than 50 faculty and student advising offices.��

The new facility also opens doors for an increase in external research funding and networking capabilities by way of the location’s close proximity to the Norse Network Hub, a resource center intended to connect students and greater community in leveraging partnerships and opportunity. ��

Approximately $79.9 million of the project budget comes from a capital investment approved by the Kentucky General Assembly in the 2022-2024 biennial budget. An additional $6 million is being provided by the 2022 General Assembly as part of asset preservation funds.����

Design on the project is being led by Lexington, Ky.-based Omni Architects, the same firm that originally designed the Hermann Science Center in 1997. Skanska USA Building Inc, will manage construction. The addition is expected to be completed by spring 2027. ��

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Colorado State University (CSU) has begun work on its new, ��state-of-the-art laser research center that will explore lasers as a viable, clean, safe and reliable energy source. The $150 million venture will be developed in partnership with Munich-based Marvel Fusion, a private company working to commercialize fusion energy through its laser technology. This development makes Fort Collins a global nexus for laser fusion research, according to a statement by the University��

The 71,000-square-foot ��Advanced Technology Lasers for Applications and Science (ATLAS) Facility comes after 40 years of laser development research on CSU’s campus that was conducted in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Fusion Energy Sciences program in the Office of Science. A rapid global growth of laser-based research has created a demand to train the next generation of scientists, technicians and suppliers in the fusion industry. The ATLAS facility will help meet this demand by providing CSU’s student body with hands-on experience using the latest technology, further aligning with the University’s mission as a land-grant institution to advance workforce development in essential STEM fields.��

In addition, the facility will expand the campus, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration. This interdisciplinary-focused building will support research in fields such as medicine, microchip lithography, X-ray imaging and broader foundational sciences. Situated near existing laser-research buildings, the new structure will also include relevant labs and offices, enhancing the space and capabilities of CSU’s campus.��

“CSU is a leader in laser research and technology, which has led us to break ground on a building that will bring that impactful research to the next level,” said Cassandra Moseley, CSU vice president for research at the facility groundbreaking in mid-October . “We celebrate today with the scientists whose teams helped get us to this point, and with excitement for the research power and discovery that will take place in this facility.” ��

Construction on the project will be managed by California-based Tetrad Corporation, with New York-based SWBR leading design and San Diego-based McCarthy Building Companies Inc., as general contractor. The lab spaces will have air purity in mind, with clean rooms up to ISO 6 classification and in-house HVAC systems to maintain tight temperature and humidity tolerances, keeping the laser systems functioning properly. Approximately 7,500 cubic yards of concrete, including 5-foot-thick walls around the target bay and a three-foot-thick slabs below the laser bay, will isolate vibrations to keep laser beams aligned. ��

CSU has been awarded various grants from the DOE that support existing facilities and future upgrades for the campus’ high-powered ALEPH laser, including a $12.5 million grant through the DOE’s LaserNetUs program, and a $16 million award to start an Inertial Fusion Science and Technology Hub. Funding from the DOE also grants facility access to outside researchers free of charge, furthering fusion research and supporting activity in key fields.����

“We are eager to leverage these opportunities,” said Geraldine Richmond, DOE undersecretary for science and innovation. “Laser development and experiments fit within our long-term goal of reaching fusion energy, but equally important is uncovering what we will learn in this process that will help us ultimately achieve that goal.”��

The ATLAS facility is set to be completed in 2026 and will sit on the CSU Foothills Campus.��

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SAN FRANCISCO — Founded 64 years ago, EHDD Architecture has developed a broad and diversified portfolio that encompasses a variety of project types, including sporting facilities, student housing, museums, zoos, art centers, galleries, theaters, academic buildings, K-12 schools, residences, commercial space and offices.

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