Crocker Science Center Dedication

Opening the Doors to a New Generation of Scientists

A new era of scientific education and research is dawning.

In April, University of Utah President Ruth V. Watkins and College of Science Dean Henry S. White, along with Gary and Ann Crocker and Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert, celebrated the opening of the new Gary and Ann Crocker Science Center on Presidents Circle.

Housed in the historic and newly renovated George Thomas Building, the Crocker Science Center will be the new home to the Henry Eyring Center for Cell and Genome Science, the Center for Science and Math Education, modern classrooms and laboratories for interdisciplinary science and math education, and a technology incubator space.

Gary and Ann Crocker provided a personal lead gift of $10 million toward the renovation and expansion of the George Thomas Building.

“Ann and I are confident that this science center will be an engine of creativity that will bless and enrich the lives of Utahans for generations to come,” says Gary Crocker. “It isn’t often that a facility is created that will have such a tremendous impact on the entire university community, with interdisciplinary instruction, research and commercialization focus areas throughout this historic building. We applaud the University of Utah for its leadership and vision in establishing this national center of STEM excellence.”

The project also received $34 million from the State of Utah, as well as generous donations from additional benefactors, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Sorenson Legacy Foundation, Kirk Ririe and Mary Jane O’Connor-Ririe, Harris Simmons and Amanda Pahnke Simmons, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, the

Lawrence T. & Janet T. Dee Foundation, The Semnani Family Foundation, Dinesh and Kalpana Patel, Grandeur Peak Global Advisors, and numerous other friends of the College of Science.

The Crocker Science Center will have three main purposes: research, education and commerce. The research component will draw on faculty and students from all four departments in the College – Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics & Astronomy – to study the basic machinery of living cells. The educational component will provide undergraduate students with abundant laboratory opportunities, smaller classrooms and regular interaction with faculty. A commercial “incubator” will bring scientists in the College together with people in local industry to develop ideas with commercial potential.

University classes started in the Crocker Science Center on Jan. 8, 2018 for Spring semester. The building now contains 10 flexible classrooms including two large teaching spaces in the historic Great Hall. Each of the Great Hall classrooms can accommodate more than 100 students. In addition, a total of seven new teaching laboratories are available to students.