During the January California State University Board of Trustees meeting, a unanimous vote approved a plan for San Diego State University’s construction of a STEM instruction and laboratory sciences building.
SDSU was recently named an R1 university, and they’re the most research-intensive school in the CSU system.
“It will really be the poster child of the many efforts made by the campus to support research and achieve R1 status, especially President de la Torre’s STEM Forward initiative, which has been crucial to making this happen,” SDSU Chair of Biology Richard Cripps said. “These new facilities will enable us to be more competitive for research funding, and more effective at graduating students from our doctoral programs, each of which are critical measures used to assess R1 status.
Construction has already begun and the building is anticipated to open during the 2027 academic year.
“While I personally do not have a great passion for doing research, I think that this new facility could help more students get involved, especially for research–more space could mean better access to specialized equipment and labs,” SDSU sophomore Julia Olmo said.
“New developments in our facilities can only improve our research and opportunities, particularly in the life sciences field,” SDSU freshman Isaac Garcia added.
Originally, the plan was to renovate the already-existing North Life Sciences building, however, some students believe that the construction of a new building is a step in the right direction.
“As of now, our life sciences building is a little bit run down, so having a brand new facility would give research and education a huge boost,” SDSU freshman Marcus Le said.
The new STEM building is a nod to SDSU’s push to emphasize science and innovation on campus. With the new R1 recognition and the development of Mission Valley, this project comes at an optimal time for students and everyone else.
“The development of new facilities like the STEM building is fun to experience,” SDSU freshman Macie Bishop said. “Having upgrades and additions to a school that I currently attend only makes me want to rave about it more. Incoming students and younger generations will definitely want to attend schools with things of their interests and things that seem elevated and professional.”
SDSU’s role in contributing to the national and international scientific research community is only growing, and a new environment to foster modes of innovation and collaboration helps grow this further.
“It will further enhance the skills and reputation of SDSU’s graduates, enabling our students to have access to and learn to operate, research equipment in state-of-the-art facilities,” Cripps said. “Moreover, the experience that SDSU undergraduate and graduate students learn when working in research laboratories will make them highly competitive for jobs in research spaces, such as academic laboratories and biotechnology companies.”
While also providing benefits for current students and faculty, the new STEM building will also attract incoming students, researchers and potential partnerships with leaders in the industry.
CAPTION: Plans have been approved for the construction of a new STEM instruction and laboratory sciences building at SDSU. (Photo by Charlize Tungol)
