STEM majors at the University of Mississippi have much to look forward to. In fall 2024, UM will unveil the largest single construction project in Oxford campus history: The Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation.
At 202,000 square feet and with a whopping budget of $175 million, the new addition to campus is exciting the faculty who will occupy it. Construction of the building, located across All American Drive from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, began in fall 2021.
Chair of the Department of Biology Sixue Chen is looking forward to how the biology department will benefit from the new building.
“I am extremely excited about the new Jim and Thomas Duff Center For Science And Technology Innovation,” Chen said. “It will put our university and departments at the forefront of teaching innovation and active learning.”
Through the new center, Chen believes students will be able to truly engage with their curriculum.
“For biology courses, students will no longer take in knowledge passively in a purely lecture-style classroom,” Chen said. “Instead, they will have many inquiry-based lab activities, small group discussions and critical thinking exercises.”
Interim Chair for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry James V. Cizdziel shared how his department looks forward to the new facility.
“My colleagues and I are especially excited about the state-of-the-art classrooms that will enhance chemical education for all our students,” Cizdziel said.
Cizdzeil also expressed how students will gain a more collaborative learning experience through the new building.
“The new STEM building will also foster collaborations between faculty engaged in developing evidence-based pedagogical practices that further support student learning,” Cizdziel said.
The new building will also make space for innovative projects through the new labs and address the need for additional academic spaces as the student population continues to rise.
“We are also excited about the space that it will free up in our current chemistry and biochemistry building for research and upper division classes,” Cizdiel said.
The building will include features like technology-enabled active learning classrooms and a 3D visualization lab — perks that help students to get the most out of their learning experience.
“Obviously, this world-class center will revolutionize teaching and learning and forge a completely game-changing impact in preparing our next generation to be leaders in the future of biology and medicine,” Chen said.
