Posted on Jun 26, 2006

MURRAY, Ky., June 8 — After countless hours of planning, several year of lobbying and construction of the new biology building, Murray State University is ready to take the next step toward realizing their dream of a new science complex. On Friday, June 9 at 2 p.m., the university will mark this significant occasion by hosting an official groundbreaking ceremony for Phase III. The ground breaking will be held at the site of the complex located on North 16th Street, just behind Alexander Hall. A reception will follow in the foyer of the Biology Building. Community members from the surrounding areas are invited to join the Murray campus in this celebration of university progress and pride. Dr. Kern Alexander, interim president of Murray State University, will lead the program and be joined by a host of distinguished speakers from the state political arena. Speakers from the House of Representatives include representatives Fred Nesler, vice chair, Appropriations and Revenue Committee, Rocky Adkins, House Majority Floor Leader, John Will Stacy, co-chair, House Committee on Budget Review and House Subcommittee on Education, and Melvin Henley, representative from the fifth district. Senators Ken Winters, chair of the Education Committee and Joey Pendleton of the third district will bring greetings from the Kentucky Senate. Construction of the Science Complex begins a new west campus quadrangle expansion. Designed as a three-phase project, the Science Complex will provide a modern, state-of-the-art facility that will enhance research and learning opportunities for students and faculty at Murray State University for many years to come. "It is a very important day in the history of Murray State University,” Interim President Alexander proclaimed. “The Science Complex is the largest project that we have ever had and it will dramatically enrich our curriculum and will certainly reshape our campus." The project’s initial ground breaking took place in May of 2001, during Dr. Kern Alexander’s presidential reign. Three years later the university celebrated the completion of Phase I with the opening of the new Biology Building in time for fall semester classes. Earlier this spring, campus and community members watched with excitement as Jesse L. Jones and members of his family visited campus to break ground for the Jesse L. Jones Clock Tower that will connect Phase II of the complex to the Biology Building. Friday’s upcoming ground breaking for Phase III signifies the progress that has been made to date and stepping forward to completion of the complex. “Moving forward to the completion of the Science Complex marks a new era in the teaching and learning of science at Murray State University,” remarked Neil Weber, dean of the college of science, engineering and technology. “This complex has been designed as a state-of-the-art facility that is comparable to the best of its kind in the Commonwealth and beyond. Students and faculty will be greatly enriched in this new learning environment.” “This is a critically important project that will have a tremendous impact on our university for many years to come,” noted Bob Jackson, director of gifts and planning in Murray State’s office of development and alumni affairs. “Many people have helped direct this project through the governmental process and it is very exciting to see it move into its final stages." As former state senator, Jackson has closely watched the project’s development since its inception. Phase II of the project specifically involves relocation of the chemistry department and completion of the biology space. Judy Ratliff, chair of the department of chemistry, says excitement is building for students and faculty as they await completion of the new chemistry building over the next couple of years. Ratliff is particularly proud that care was taken in the planning stages to make it an inviting location for the community of Murray as well as the campus community. “We have strived to make it easy to navigate to locate the main department office, faculty, and classrooms as well as provide interesting displays that will make it a pleasure for our community to tour and show their out of town guests,” Ratliff said. “We work to strengthen our ties to the surrounding communities and want them to feel that this is their building as much as it is ours. Maintaining a 40-year accreditation, Ratliff said the department of chemistry is well known for the high quality of undergraduates and graduates they matriculate, and that their graduates are regarded as a highly sought after commodity. “We have near 100 percent placement of graduates in jobs, graduate schools and professional schools that include medical, pharmacy, dentistry, chiropractic and law.” In addition, she says the completion of the new building will allow for growth of the forensics program as well as the implementation of a new focus area in the graduate program on polymer chemistry. The department of engineering and physics, another area on the brink of explosion in the scientific network, will be relocated to the complex at the completion of Phase III. According to Steve Cobb, department chair, this is an area at Murray that has achieved a national and international reputation for its ability to prepare students to work at the forefront of emerging disciplines where science and engineering intersect. The department is home to Murray State’s engineering degree programs, along with programs in pure and applied physics. Most of the department's 115 students major in Engineering Physics, an engineering degree that combines mechanical and electrical engineering with courses in advanced physics. Graduates of the program are in demand to work in highly technical industries including defense and aerospace, computing, communications, and microelectronics. In addition, a new degree program in Electrical and Telecommunications Engineering has recently been introduced. “This area of study is among the nation's fastest growing engineering disciplines and emphasizes the emerging areas of electronic communications and digital signal processing,” Cobb said. The department also offers several degree options in physics for those desiring a background in fundamental science. Many of these graduates go on to careers in medicine, industry, research, and education. The eight faculty members in the department are active in funded research projects supported by national and state agencies, and work with collaborators from national, corporate, and educational institutions to maintain their professional expertise. They are proud of their reputation for effective classroom teaching and student accessibility. “The department is excited to be included in the third phase of MSU's new science complex,” Cobb emphasized. “While our students have always received an excellent education, the new engineering and physics building will provide them with a comfortable, well-equipped and technologically enhanced educational experience. A modern facility will reflect well on Murray State’s commitment to its growing engineering programs and will increase the visibility of our degree offerings.”