Strategic Modernization of Undergraduate Research Facilities in Sciences

该奖项是根据《2009年美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)资助的。该奖项为弗吉尼亚卫斯理学院提供资金，用于该学院的自然科学设施--布洛克大厅的现代化。此次翻修将产生六个专门从事研究的现代实验室和三个联合教学/研究实验室。升级将包括更换电气、管道、照明、温度控制、通风系统和网络基础设施。对于一些实验室，将对房间配置进行重大更改。该设施的翻新将使研究人员能够解决更复杂的研究问题，从而拓宽这些活动的范围，从而显著提高教师研究的质量。研究实验室的现代化将使假说驱动的研究活动多样化，并加强目前不可能开展的研究活动(扫描电子显微镜和离子色谱)。创建专门的研究空间，供不同学科的教师使用，也将促进合作，提高自然科学研究培训的整体质量。网络基础设施的现代化将使更有效的沟通成为可能，从而增加与全球科学界的联系，并通过电子媒体促进VWC社区与世界各地科学家之间的合作研究。该设施的重新启用将极大地改善生物、化学、地球和环境科学专业学生的研究培训和追求独立的、假设驱动的研究项目。学生将获得现代研究工具的宝贵经验，从而提供发展关键技能和技术的机会。布洛克大厅的翻新将使学生研究项目的容量增加一倍。VWC的学生群体非常多样化(31%的自然科学专业学生是少数族裔)。这次翻修将对历史上代表性不足的群体参与自然科学领域的独立研究项目产生积极影响。参加研究培训的学院毕业生将在进入研究生和专业课程方面更具竞争力，并将加强他们在自然科学和科学教育领域的职业准备。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This award provides funds for Virginia Wesleyan College to modernize Blocker Hall, the College's Natural Science Facility. The renovation will result in six moderns labs dedicated to research and three joint teaching/research labs. Upgrades will include replacement of electrical, plumbing, lighting, temperature control, ventilation systems, and cyberinfrastructure. For some of the labs, substantial changes to room configurations will be made. Renovations to the facility will significantly increase the quality of faculty research by enabling investigators to address more complex research questions, thus broadening the scope of these activities. Modernization of the research labs will diversify and enhance hypothesis-driven research activities in areas that are not currently possible (scanning electron microscopy and ion chromatography). The creation of dedicated research spaces that are usable by faculty from different disciplines will also promote collaborations and enhance the overall quality of research training across the natural sciences. Modernization of the cyberinfrastructure will enable more effective communication, thus increasing connectivity with the global scientific community and fostering collaborative research through electronic media between the VWC community and scientists worldwide.Renovation of the facility will dramatically improve research training and the pursuit of independent, hypothesis-driven research projects by students majoring in biology, chemistry, earth and environmental sciences. Students will gain invaluable experience with modern research tools, thereby providing opportunities to develop critical skills and techniques. Renovation of Blocker Hall will double the capacity for student research projects. VWC's student body is very diverse (31% of natural science majors are minorities). The renovation will have a positive impact on the participation of historically underrepresented groups in independent research projects in the natural sciences. Graduates from the College who participate in research training will be more competitive for admission into graduate and professional programs and will enhance their preparation for careers in natural sciences and science education.