The final stages of the new research building have been completed, and faculty researchers from RIT’s three colleges are preparing to become its first occupants. They will move into the 39,000 square foot building during the spring semester.
For new residents in RIT’s College of Science, Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences (GCCIS), and Kate Gleason School of Engineering, the lab space is an extension of their respective campus facilities and an opportunity for research beyond the university.
“There is a growing trend of cross-disciplinary collaboration, and this space amplifies that spirit,” said Andre Hudson, dean of science. “By bringing together faculty and scholars from diverse backgrounds under one roof, we not only create opportunities for collaboration, but also foster a culture where interdisciplinary innovation thrives.”
RIT aligns with a trend in higher education in which research-intensive universities increasingly create mixed-use facilities that integrate multiple disciplines. The new building also paves the way for increased support for current programs, such as GCCIS’ broader work in cybersecurity and information science, and new programs, such as the PhD in Cognitive Science, which began this academic year. The program integrates fields such as psychology, computer science, linguistics, and neuroscience.
The exterior construction of the new building is almost complete, and interior design is progressing. Structural work on the two-story building, which combines a more open facade with flexible spaces, began in early 2022. There are 18 laboratories, 8 on the first floor and 10 on the second floor. Other spaces will be allocated as new faculty researchers are hired. All facilities have the capacity to accommodate both wet and dry labs, including labs that require special fume hoods, water, electrical, and biological safety measures, as well as labs with heavy equipment and computers. Masu.
The School of Engineering faculty member confirmed to be participating in the site is Steve Weinstein, professor of chemical engineering. Lisa Robinson, professor of mechanical engineering; Edward Hensel, professor of mechanical engineering and associate dean of the Graduate School of Research; Weinstein is a theoretical and experimental expert who studies the creation of thin films by roll-to-roll coating methods and the scale-up of bench to industrial-scale processes. Robinson and Hensel’s work in electronic cigarette research has become a foundational resource on the health effects, emissions, and user behavior of all inhaled tobacco products. Further research in the new lab space will support a five-year NIH project to study how users of various nicotine e-liquids ingest high levels of harmful ingredients. The data will help develop new smoking cessation treatments.
