Our Goal: $85 MillionOur outstanding faculty produce research that changes the way we see the world. As dedicated teachers, they open up new horizons in the minds of their students. Our talented students transform the knowledge and experiences that they acquire here into ideas and action that have impact far beyond Penn. None of these things can happen without buildings – the physical spaces that house discovery, learning, and interaction.
The School of Arts and Sciences has targeted three priority facilities needs. Two of these projects will help to advance our work along the most exciting lines of scientific discovery being pursued today: a facility for nanoscale research, and a neural and behavioral research facility. The third priority, the renovation of the Music Building, will address the most pressing facilities need impacting on our students and faculty in the humanities.
The Neural and Behavioral Sciences Building
A revolution is occurring in brain science as research connects the basic building blocks of biology with complex behavior and phenomena, including human consciousness. Our new Neural and Behavioral Sciences Building – the second and final phase in construction of a hub for the life sciences at SAS – will put Penn in the forefront of that revolution. As the headquarters for the School’s Genes to Brains to Behavior initiative, it will house the Biology and Psychology Departments, the Biological Basis of Behavior program (one of the School’s most popular majors), and the Penn Genomics Institute. The health and engineering schools will also contribute to collaborative, creative research and education in the building’s labs and classrooms.
The Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology
This building, a joint project with the School of Engineering and Applied Science, will put Penn in the vanguard of another cutting-edge area of science: the manipulation of single molecules to create new materials and devices that operate on a minuscule scale. Advances in nanoscience will produce new technology in the biomedical area as well as in fields such as computing and electronics. In addition to enhancing research and education at Penn, the building will advance the regional economy by encouraging technology transfer and entrepreneurial start-ups.
The Home of the Music Department
SAS is planning a renovation and expansion of its Music Building to restore this historic landmark to its original splendor and provide a fitting home for School’s top-ranked music department. The restored building will promote a new culture of performance on campus, providing well-equipped classrooms, rehearsal spaces and practice rooms for the thousands of students from across the University who take music courses or participate in performances each year. By incorporating sustainable design and construction features, the building will have the added distinction of serving as a model for environmental responsibility on campus.
