The Loyola Science Center

Overview and Conceptual Background

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has been taking the nation by storm. This is partially due to the fact that technology is evolving. The University believes that the most powerful tool at our disposal is the mind, and a building that fosters enhancement of the mind is essential to the campus.

Design Specifications

The Loyola Science Center is designed to accommodate programs, faculty, students, courses, and laboratories. The design also hopes to grab the attention of those not already in the sciences. While innovation is one driving force for the design, showing science as a human entity is also important. The building is full of equipment and scientific tools, but they are able to educate students through the collaboration of minds along with the use of these tools.

People Behind the Project

The Loyola Science Center is the product of the Quandel Enterprises Construction Company and the Einhorn Yaffee and Prescott (EYP) Architecture and Engineering Architectural Firm. There were three groups behind the project: the Green Team, Science Advisory Committee, and the Steering Committee. The Green Team worked with the architects to design common spaces with a sustainable design for the building. The Steering Committee worked with the architects to monitor the size and scope of the project, ensuring it stayed within reasonable boundaries, and also integrated University goals into the facility's design. The Science Advisory Committee created a vision of a science center that supports programs' aims, and they communicated this vision to the architects. The collaboration of these groups, along with the architects, the building was created in the best interests of the University, construction company, and committees. The primary figures behind the Loyola Science Center are: Kip Ellis, Kate Harding, Michael King, Charles Kirby, Wan Leung, Heather Taylor, and James Theodore.

Impact on Science Education

The Loyola Science Center has opened up copious opportunities for students to learn and apply their knowledge. The University of Scranton understands that not all students learn the same way, so it ensured that the building included spaces for collaboration. Some labs have glass windows in an effort to engage students that are not originally involved in the work. The design of the building itself aims to invite people who are just passing by to want to participate in the activities. As the University describes it, the LSC “actively engages others, invites others to participate in the discovery process, and shares the excitement of scientific inquiry.”

“Loyola Science Center | Academics | The University of Scranton.” Accessed November 28, 2017. http://www.scranton.edu/academics/sciencecenter/index.shtml.