Renovated Science Lab Designed for Collaboration

Facilitating the collaboration of minds and talents in a research environment was the primary rationale behind the renovations of the Oscar Monrow Landstrum Laboratory at Knox College. The renovation of the lab was supported largely by a $30,000 grant from the Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation.

Judy Thorn, associate professor of biology, says there was an intentional focus on creating an interactive atmosphere when designing the lab. "Increasingly today, science is a collaborative enterprise," she says. "Science involves teams of people who bring unique perspectives to the table, and the new lab was designed to encourage that interaction."

To facilitate such interaction, the laboratory is equipped with sixteen-person modular work stations (pods) which provide for better access to supplies and materials during experimentation and accommodate students with special needs. Each station is equipped with electricity, gas, and water, and is wired for campus-wide computer network connectivity. Faucets have been replaced with blade handles, and a new energy efficient refrigerator ensures proper storage of perishable materials. The room is also equipped with room darkening shades to reduce glare and support the use of projection equipment installed in the laboratory.

"It's so exciting for our students to be able to work and learn in a well-designed lab that incorporates the best of lab education facilities," Thorn says. ?The laboratory is designed with teaching and instructional lab space for chemistry and biology, as well as space for specialized research.?

Students taking Molecular Biology use the laboratory to explore genetic engineering strategies and genomics ? the computer analysis of gene sequencing. In Cell Biology, students in the laboratory explore the biochemical aspects of cellular structure and function.

The lab design lets students participate in what Thorn says, is the true nature of scientific exploration. ?They conduct real science and enjoy a sense of community. The laboratory facilitates that type of dynamic group collaboration.? As such, Knox College students are encouraged to approach challenges through scientific inquiry instead of a set of predetermined end results. ?Instead we want to see what they will find on their own,? Thorn says.

The Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation has been providing support to Knox College since the 1950s. The Foundation was established by Ellen Browning Scripps, an 1859 Knox graduate and journalist who was involved in the founding of several newspapers that eventually formed the Scripps news syndicate, and later, the United Press news service, predecessor to UPI. The Foundation has supported programs in a wide range of fields, including education, health care, science and the environment. ?Knox College is grateful for the many meaningful opportunities that have been made possible for Knox students through the generosity of the Foundation.? says Mehl.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 45 states and 44 nations. Knox?s ?Old Main? is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Renovations in the biology/biochemistry lab foster an atmosphere of collaboration between students and faculty.