Underground, between the Huestis and Deschutes buildings on campus, a laboratory housing some of the most expensive and sensitive scientific equipment owned by the University is nearly complete. The lab is expected to open in the fall.
A large skylight emerging from the ground and an entrance are the only signs of the location of the Lorry I. Lokey Laboratory. The lab cannot be above ground at this location, even at the designers’ request. Its location is designated as an open-space by campus rules.
In the near future, instead of seeing another tall structure among the other buildings, students will observe calm green grass, benches to sit on and pathways swerving stylishly between structures, according to the plans.
The underground location is suitable for very sensitive instruments, said John Donovan, head of the Center for Advanced Materials Characterization in Oregon. CAMCOR is in charge of designing and operating the new facility.
Donovan said the location is one of the quietest places CAMCOR could have hoped for. Bedrock in the area keeps vibrations from coming through to the laboratory. Even slight vibrations can disrupt or ruin many sensitive readings scientists take.
When excavation for the lab began, construction workers removed 12 feet of bedrock, some fossils and the original 10 feet of soil. Donovan’s only concern is what will happen when the University mows the lawn directly above.
Despite its underground location, this lab is no dungeon. The ceilings are approximately 14 feet tall and the hallways are large and airy. The space was designed to be as open as possible while still conserving space and money.
Desks and chairs will be situated in main areas, encouraging people of varying academic disciplines to converse and collaborate. Donovan said when finished, the laboratory will be fully accessible to all University students.
“The building itself is designed to bring people together to use the instrumentation,” said Jim Hutchison, the user committee chair for planning and construction. The new lab will consolidate in one location the instruments used by a wide variety of disciplines.
Dave Johnson, a University professor who is also on the planning committee said, “It’s a really interesting experiment to see if we can get a change in culture with respect to this equipment. Most campus equipment is used and controlled by a small number of faculty. This way the University gets the greatest value.”
This centralization will also help bring in the staff and money needed to operate and maintain the instruments by leasing them out for commercial use 30 percent of their operating time. Donovan said in the past “the instruments were always available but they were never working” due to inadequate funding.
These instruments include microprobes, microscopes and various other analytical devices. Though the scientific community will find these instruments more useful, other disciplines will have access as well.
“We want to make sure the equipment is used as much as possible. It’s most valuable if everyone has access and the cost per use is as low as possible,” Johnson said.
According to these scientists, the University will reap the benefits of a consolidated, professional laboratory with open access to all. Academics, including students, professors and researchers, will be able to use accurate and extremely expensive equipment at a relatively low cost.
To compensate for this saving, commercial users will pay a much higher rate, the market value, for these services. Not only is it expensive to maintain the equipment, but the construction of the facility itself required millions of dollars.
Construction of the Lorry I. Lokey Laboratory was jointly funded by the state of Oregon through the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute and by Lorry Lokey, the University donor for whom the lab is named. The total costs cap at approximately $16 million. Additional private donors also covered some of the costs.
“One donation was given for the green nanoscience lab. Green means asking how you design future industry to be responsible to the environment from the beginning, how you make sure the production of new technology is sustainable,” said Hutchison.
“This facility exists because of the research already going on at the U of O,” Donovan said.