Biology Lab Evolves Thanks to Donor Support

BIOLOGY LABS UPGRADED TO REFLECT INNOVATIVE, INTEGRATED LEARNING

While the biology laboratories in Discovery Hall were state-of-the-art in the 1960s when they were built, the space was no longer optimal for students—or for contemporary science. During the summer, the space was gutted and renovated to reflect the innovative, integrated learning that is already happening on our campus today. These important upgrades elevate our science facilities to the highest standards of the day—establishing an era of open-ended, collaborative discovery.

It was a great morning to learn about saturation, osmosis, and other important concepts of biology in Wayland's recently renovated biology lab. The space combines classroom and lab and offers flexibility to support a variety of teaching techniques.

New features include:

• Flexible learning spaces that allow for group work, fullclass discussions, and experiments all in the same lab

• Installations like sinks positioned on the perimeter of the room, modular seating and benches, and dedicated clean-up space to make students’ time in the labs safer and more productive

• Windows and a door to create a connection and passage between the two biology labs to promote maximum flexibility and collaboration, allowing individual classes to combine hands-on lab experiments and desk work, often at the same time for different students