A groundbreaking celebrating the $3.4 million project will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 at Herty Hall.

The first and second floors of the addition will provide laboratory space and office space for the biology and environmental sciences departments. This new addition will allocate space in the original portion of Herty Hall for the continued expansion of the physics program.

A studio lab on the third floor will provide incredible pedagogical value given its effective laboratory and classroom combination.

Lecture and experiments will go hand-in-hand.

“The studio lab gives students a hands-on approach,” said Dr. Ken McGill, Chair of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy. “Too often students forget important parts of the lecture when they move from laboratory to classroom.”

The $3.4 million addition is a state-funded capital project. It’s scheduled to open with Fall 2010 classes.