The College of Science and Mathematics at Augusta University commemorated the completion of its fourth floor and interdisciplinary research labs with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 21. These new research labs are accessible to researchers from all departments within the university, promoting collaboration among different disciplines. This aligns with the college’s relocation to the Health Sciences Campus, which aims to facilitate interdisciplinary research. The establishment of these laboratories reflects the original vision of Rickey Hicks, PhD, the founding dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, when he proposed the move.
During the event, AU President Brooks A. Keel, PhD, praised Hicks’s visionary leadership. He stated, “As we celebrate the opening of this remarkable space, I’m reminded of the forward-looking leadership of the late Dr. Rickey Hicks, whose vision for a collaborative research space on the Health Sciences campus has now become a reality. This million-dollar project is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our entire university community. It’s a place where innovation will thrive, where students are learning, and where groundbreaking discoveries should be made.”
The fourth floor is connected to the Interdisciplinary Research Center through a skybridge, symbolizing the connections between various disciplines. It offers different types of spaces and equipment for research, including wet labs for molecular biology, biochemistry, and neuroscience. Additionally, there are labs dedicated to mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and a computational research space. David C. Hess, MD, dean of the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, highlighted the potential for collaborative research in the new laboratories, particularly for the Transdisciplinary Research Initiative in Inflammaging and Brain Aging (TRIBA) researchers at AU.
John Sutherland, PhD, dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, emphasized the significance of the college’s relocation and the creation of the fourth floor. He acknowledged the collaborative effort of multiple groups across the university in completing this project.
Ben Levine, a second-year biomolecular sciences graduate student who conducts research on the fourth floor, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunities provided by the labs, especially since they are conveniently located near the classes he teaches. He also highlighted the benefit of having graduate and undergraduate students working together in the same space.
The groundbreaking for the CSM Building took place in September 2019, and the grand opening occurred two years later on September 30, 2021.