In 1999, COSM*S (the University’s faculty Committee on Science, Mathematics, and Computer Science) began planning to transform Sage Hall into a new hub of intellectual activity for the campus. With support from the Hollis Renaissance Fund, the Frueauff Foundation, and the Keck Foundation, COSM*S reviewed our curriculum, studied our facility, visited other campuses, and participated in national initiatives on excellence in teaching undergraduate science. One conclusion was clear for COSM*S faculty: Stetson must have a new Science Center that meets our goals in undergraduate education, supports the University’s environmental values, and draws scientists and non-scientists together in the excitement of intellectual inquiry and dialogue. Working with the architects, faculty have established these goals for the Science Center:

•  To foster lively conversation across disciplines and between students and faculty
• To encourage collaborative student and faculty research
• To provide the right mix of social and instructional spaces
• To incorporate new teaching technologies and sophisticated instrumentation
• To meet the highest standards for safety and laboratory support
• To provide flexibility to adapt to new technologies, cross-disciplinary initiatives, and contemporary teaching styles
• To foster a commitment to environmental stewardship in design, construction, and landscaping

Meeting these goals, the Science Center will also fulfill the larger mission that COSM*S has set for the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics – preparing students to explore our world through the sciences and helping them to acquire an appreciation for the immense beauty and wonder of the natural order.