Trustees OK 'centerpiece' of science departments

The IU trustees unanimously approved construction of the first phase of a long-needed multi-disciplinary science building Friday. The building will unite the research facilities for all life science departments at IU and will be located between Myers Hall and the Chemistry Building, where a grove of trees currently stands.\n"This building is going to be a centerpiece of our science and research departments," trustee Peter Obremskey said.\nArchitect John Belle, who also designed the new graduate building of the Kelley School of Business, said the building would be connected to its neighboring buildings by means of underground passages.\n"When we initially designed the building, almost half of it was underground," Belle said.\nThe building is to be designed in the collegiate gothic style of Myers Hall. \nUniversity Architect Bob Meadows said he wanted to give the appearance that "both buildings arrived at the same time."\nBelle added that the building is strategically placed as a multi-disciplinary building.\nAccording to a press release, the building will be the first since the construction of the geology building in 1962 to be solely devoted to scientific research. \nIssue of space\nPhase I of the building is expected to cover an area of 80,000 sq. feet. It will be designed with the purpose of preserving the wooded areas between Myers Hall and the Chemistry Building as much as possible. \n"This is not a small undertaking," said Terry Clapacs, vice-president and chief administrative officer. \nThe building is expected to provide laboratory space for research in various scientific fields such as genomics, bioinformatics, biochemistry and biophysics.\nThe cost of the total project is estimated at $50 million, with about $30 million coming from state appropriations and $20 million from gifts. No start date for the project has been given. \nBiocomplexity institute\nA project to establish a biocomplexity institute for the Bloomington campus was also approved during Friday's meeting. Former Notre Dame Professor James Glazier, who worked with a biocomplexity institute at Notre Dame, will be helping to incorporate a similar program at IU.\nBiocomplexity is the study of the complex behaviors that arise from the interaction of biological entities such as molecules, cells or organisms.\nGlazier, who is now the director of the department of physics at IU, said that it would be interdisciplinary in nature, combining aspects of computer science, biology, math, physics and chemistry. He defined biocomplexity as the attempt to understand complex phenomena from simple events.\nThe project will promote research cooperation between departments at IU as well as other colleges in Indiana.\n"Anytime you combine other institutions, it is always good for the state," trustee Stephen Ferguson said.