UMD Shows Off New Science Building

The almost $45 million dollar building had it's grand opening Friday after 18 months of construction

DULUTH, Minn.- The new Heikkila Chemistry and Advanced Materials Science Building at UMD allows students more collaboration opportunities with interior and exterior glass to add transparency to the building.

The building was actually completed back in January for students. It offers more study space since the Swenson College of Science and Engineering Building maxed out capacity.

It features three floors, twelve research labs, and five study areas for students. One student we spoke with today says having a building like this will make learning much easier.

“A big thing is kind of having the both the learning classrooms and the research labs in the same building so the teaching labs and research labs in the same building that puts you closer to the cutting–edge science that is going on in this new building”, said Grant Jackson, UMD Biochemist Senior.

In May 2017, Governor Mark Dayton approved a bonding bill that included $28.3 million for the building, and donors contributed the remaining almost $15 million. New university president Joan Gabel says it benefits everyone involved at UMD.

“For our students, we really want to maximize their opportunities for success and this let’s them learn in a state–of–the–art facility and it also inspires our facility in how they teach their courses and how their research and what that means for the state of Minnesota so it’s a great moment for us”, said Gabel.

Classes will be held in the new building for the first time this fall and will serve students in chemistry, biochemistry, and applied material science programs.