New Field Laboratory brings outdoors indoors

Students and faculty members can now bring research in the environmental sciences directly from the outdoors to the indoors with IU’s new Field Laboratory, located a mile from campus at the Griffy Preserve.

The laboratory, which uses new techniques in minimizing human impact on the environment, opened April 22, said Jenna Morrison, a graduate research assistant for the IU Research and Teaching Preserve.

IU’s board of trustees approved plans for the lab in 2003, said Keith Clay, director of the IU Research and Teaching Preserve.

“It’s been six years in the making,” he said. “We thought it could become a centerpiece and catalyst for more and better environmental science research and teaching at IU.”

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program declared the lab “silver” LEED-certified, meaning it uses enough eco-friendly approaches to receive certification, said David Bricker, a University communications representative.

A few of the eco-friendly components include a roof based on recycled steel material, new insulation technology based on shredded newspaper, indirect lighting and air circulation and composting toilets, Clay said.

“There is very little resource use,” he said. “Using cutting-edge technology in the Field Laboratory gives the opportunity for the University to explore the methods before, say, changing all of the dorms to composting toilets.”

Morrison said the building conforms to IU’s mission to preserve land not used for development.

“We’re using the building to learn how to be stewards of the natural environment,” she said. “It makes sense to have the building also economically friendly.”

The building has four lab rooms ranging from wet to dry, Morrison said. Wet labs are used for processing samples, while dry rooms contain computers available for researchers. Besides the labs, the building also contains classrooms, a presentation room and some office space.

Students and faculty members can use the labs or classrooms by reserving them ahead of time, Morrison said. The building is not open to the public, but if people express an interest in conducting research there, they can reserve a time.

Students can receive grants for their research at the Field Laboratory by submitting a proposal, which is then evaluated by Clay and other people familiar with the area, Clay said.

“Doing field research requires extra money that students do not have,” said James Farmer, manager of the IU Research and Teaching Preserve. “The grants help promote research at the preserve.”

With IU sitting right on the edge of extensive natural areas, students and faculty are provided with a focal point for researching and teaching, Clay said.

“The building is located directly adjacent to the forest,” he said. “There’s a vast array of habitats literally within reach of the building. You can go back and forth from outside to inside. That’s where the facility will be most useful.”