Shippensburg University is currently renovating and expanding their existing Franklin Science Center to modernize their campus facilities. The Franklin Science Center was built in 1970 and underwent partial renovations in 2002; the current renovation & expansion plan will further cement the campus as a hub for the sciences. 

Set to come in at 125,000GSF, the new Science Center will provide students with state-of-the-art teaching and research laboratories and upgraded active learning classrooms. Several specialized spaces will find a home throughout the three-story building, including the Dibert-Roddick Planetarium, the Vertebrate Museum, and a Necropsy Teaching Lab. The new facilities will provide space for those studying physics, chemistry & biochemistry, biology, earth & space science, and the health sciences.

Open collaboration areas provide students with the opportunity to connect with their peers and exchange ideas. Smaller huddle rooms & study rooms provide space for those who are seeking privacy. All laboratory spaces within the facility have dedicated preparation rooms for faculty use. A Radioactive Storage room is adjacent to the Advanced Physics Teaching Laboratory and services the entire facility.

A “transparent” approach will be taken to the design of key laboratory spaces, to put the sciences on display and provide insight for visitors. A large Herbarium and Vivarium are available within the space, providing direct access to research materials. Shippensburg University has placed emphasis on sustainability for the renovation of this facility and will follow all LEED guidelines throughout design.