FSML: Construction of Visiting Investigator/Classroom Building at Darling Marine Center

自1991年以来，缅因大学对其海洋实验室达令海洋中心进行了重大的财政投资，使大学人员、访问学院和研究人员都同样受益。仅在1997-99年期间，大学就支持了包括学生宿舍/食堂在内的改进。新的流动海水设施（将于2000年春季开始建造）、一艘新的42英尺长的沿海研究船（正在建造中）以及更多的教室显微镜和电脑（已交付并投入使用）也得到了支助。所有这些改进都直接使访客受益，它们反映了一项政策，即鼓励来访的调查人员和外部学院更多地使用这些设施。广泛的市场营销和游客的口口相传，使游客使用这些设施的人数急剧增加。虽然该中心强烈鼓励来访的科学家和大学利用其设施，但日益流行的访客计划导致实验室和教室空间严重短缺。由于缺乏足够的教学和研究空间，游客的教育和研究机会受到限制。对实验室和教室空间日益增长的需求超过了目前的容量，该设施现在无法在一年中的某些时期容纳所有潜在的访客。根据几年来服务游客需求的经验，我们了解到，提供灵活、多用户的空间，既能满足教育需求，又能满足研究需求，是最有效的。因此，大学将建造一个1290平方米的。计划于2000年春季兴建的新海洋养殖实验室增建的客座研究员/教室。该设施将为来访的科学家创造更多的空间，它将允许州外的大学将更多的学生带到该中心，并将使多个访问大学同时授课成为可能。

Since 1991, the University of Maine has made significant financial investments in its marine laboratory, the Darling Marine Center to equally benefit both University personnel and visiting colleges and reserarchers. During 1997-99 alone, the University supported improvements including a student dormitory/dining hall. New flowing seawater facilities (construction to begin spring 2000), a new 42' coastal research vessel (under construction), and more classroom microscopes and computers (delivered and in use) have also been supported. All of these improvements directly benefit visitors and they reflect a stated policy of encouraging increased use of the facilities by visiting investigators and outside colleges. Extensive marketing and word-of-mouth testimonials by visitors have resulted in a dramatic increase in visitor use of the facilities. While the Center strongly encourages visiting scientists and colleges to make use of its facilities, the growing popularity of visitor programs has resulted in a serious shortage of lab and classroom space. Educational and research opportunities for visitors are being restricted by a lack of adequate teaching and research space.The increasing demand for lab and classroom space exceeds current capacity and the facility is now unable to accommodate all potential visitors during some periods of the year. Based on several years of experience serving visitor needs, it has been learned that it is most efficient to provide flexible, multi-user space that can serve both educational and research needs. Therefore, the University will construct a 1290sq. ft. Visiting Investigator/Classroom addition to a new Marine Culture Laboratory scheduled to be built in spring 2000. This facility will create more space for visiting scientists, it will allow out-of-state colleges to bring more students to the center, and it will make it possible for more than one visiting college to conduct courses simultaneously.