![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2022\/01\/chem-lab-300x200-2020-09-16_UWM-Chem-PEC_Page_27-scaled-1.jpg\")
\u201cChemistry underlies nearly every growth industry, and we know that STEM jobs are growing faster than non-STEM jobs,\u201d said UWM Chancellor Mark Mone. \u201cEmployers need graduates who have the opportunity to conduct practical research and develop skills to solve problems. \u00a0We are delighted to begin work on a new, modern chemistry building that will better prepare our students for the multitude of opportunities open to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Figures from a 2021 American Chemistry Council fact sheet showed chemistry industry jobs generated $1 billion in payroll across Wisconsin and $138 million\u00a0in state and local tax revenue. One in five new jobs in Wisconsin are in science, technology, engineering and math fields, which are rooted in chemistry, according to Chemistry Department Chair Joseph Aldstadt.<\/p>\n
In addition to UWM students who take chemistry, so do high schoolers and middle schoolers\u00a0from across the state and K-12 teachers who come to learn how to design classroom\u00a0lessons for their students.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the \u2018central science,\u2019 students in a broad array of fields \u2014 natural sciences, health sciences, engineering \u2014 have curricula requiring knowledge of chemistry, an understanding of the structure and reactivity of matter in its myriad forms,\u201d Aldstadt said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor research, we are a key contributor to the university\u2019s R1 designation for research excellence,\u201d he said. \u201cWe average over $5 million per year in extramural funding, $49 million in the past decade.\u201d<\/p>\n
State-of-the-art building<\/h3>\n
The current building dates to 1972.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe primary reason we’re excited about the new building is that it will be a state-of-the-art facility,\u201d said Aldstadt. \u201cWe’ll be able to significantly enhance our teaching, research, and outreach missions. We\u2019ll have new learning spaces for lectures, tutoring, study groups; new laboratories that integrate teaching and research, with efficiencies in design that make collaborative research easier to do.<\/p>\n
Chemistry is one of the strongest departments at UWM, he added, with a record of success in teaching, research, and outreach across many decades. With over 250 undergraduate majors, 70 graduate students in MS and PhD programs, 18 faculty, 18 academic, technical, administrative staff, and 10 post-doctoral fellows and visiting faculty, the department is thriving.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most important reason we’re excited about the prospect of occupying a new building is that it will be a state-of-the-art facility,\u201d Aldstadt said. \u00a0\u201cWe will have new learning spaces for lectures, tutoring, study groups and new laboratories that integrate teaching and research, with efficiencies in design that make collaborative research easier to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Creating green space<\/h3>\n
When the new chemistry building is complete, the current building will be demolished to create green space between the new structure and Engelmann Field. The goal of the site development plan, said Karen Wolfert, senior architect\/planner, is to create a green campus quad north of the new building that invites people to linger and engage in this STEM-centered region of campus. The quad will include small and large gathering spaces, pedestrian pathways, a drop off road, stormwater management and bicycle and vehicle parking.<\/p>\n
The architecture\/engineering team for the project is led by CannonDesign in partnership with Kahler Slater. The general contractor is VJS Construction Services Inc.<\/p>\n
Members of the Chemistry Department user team that helped with the planning included Aldstadt, Kristen Murphy, Nicholas Silvaggi, Doug Stafford and Kevin Blackburn.<\/p>\n
Steering committee for the vision, design and details of the building included Wolfert, Scott Gronert, Da\u00e2d Saffarini and Kristene Surerus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Groundbreaking for a new chemistry building at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is set for Jan. 26 at noon at the Kenwood Interdisciplinary Research Complex, 3135 N. Maryland Ave.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":835,"featured_media":101727,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[174],"tags":[],"section":[122,126],"display_categories":[114,116],"related-coverage":[],"uwmnews-feed":[167,158],"class_list":["post-101724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","section-campus-community","section-campus-news","display_categories-top-story-primary","display_categories-top-story-section","uwmnews-feed-alumni-association","uwmnews-feed-letters-science"],"yoast_head":"\n