Renovation of the Biology Building Into The Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory

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Clark Atlanta University, a historically black institution, is the recipient of funds from the Academic Research Infrastructure Program to aid in the renovation of the Biology Building. Built in 1961, and initially the only facility on campus that housed all science classroom and laboratory activities, the facility is inadequate to support modern research and research training. As a commitment to the sciences, the institution has constructed a research center for Science and Technology to meet the demand of a rapidly growing research and development program and student training activities. Clark Atlanta University will further improve the research infrastructure by renovating the Biology Building to accommodate the Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory. Impediments in the building that interfere with utilization include: asbestos-containing insulation and floor tiles, poor operating condition of the HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems, lack of ADA compliance, and deteriorated laboratory casework and benches. The renovation will correct the building's deficiencies and restore it to a functional facility for the environmental sciences program. Environmental research that will be conducted in the facility will encompass the use of bioremediation with mixed microbial mats; thermodynamic modeling of chemical speciation, chemically sensitive ion-selective field effect transistors for in situ detection of toxic metals; and enhanced biodegradative remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated aquifers. This modernization project will provide the infrastructure required to create new environmental technologies to solve the environmental problems of the 21st century. Not only will the project strengthen the research program, but the new facility will also enhance the mission of Clark Atlanta University in its efforts to train competent minority students in science and technology.