After several years of construction, the new Science, Education and Research Center is scheduled to open on Monday, according to CST Dean Michael Klein.
This is more than a month after the intended opening at the beginning of the Fall 2014 semester, which has frustrated some students who were scheduled to have classes in the new building.
“I think it’s annoying because they were supposed to have it done over the summer from what I could gather so that it was open for the semester” said senior music major Beatrice Osborne, who was scheduled to have a science gen ed in one of the lecture halls.
Dean Klein, however, said he is not worried about the timeline of the building’s opening.
“A bit of disappointment we didn’t make it at the start of the semester…but we need to take the bigger view of this. Let’s get it right. Let’s get the building working properly” he said.
Once completed, the SERC will be one of its kind in Philadelphia. It’s large windows that allow natural light to flood the hallways and classrooms and water filtration system are said to be environmentally friendly. Additionally, the new center is home to an Energy Frontier Research Center whose design of layered materials has potential use for various energy applications.
“It’s a really cool statement about Temple being a paragon of progress in Philadelphia,” said mechanical engineering grad student Perry Orthey.
“It’s really exciting for me to see Temple participating in this, what I would say is a revolution, as we reinvent our economy” said Klein.
Some other important features of the new building include a wealth of physics and chemistry labs, lecture halls and research centers.
Students say, however, they’re just excited to see the new opportunities Temple’s newest building will offer.
“It’s nice that I get to check out the freshest building around and see where my funds are going” said senior engineering student Marc Ciamaichelo.
“It’s my last year here so it’s kind of cool that I get to be the first student to do something on this campus” said Osborne.
All advancements aside, however, Klein says he wants the Temple community to remember that this a project for the people.
“More important than the building is the people in it. Let’s not get distracted from that.”
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