Physical Sciences Complex

158,068 square-feet dedicated to state-of-the-art research where undergraduate and graduate students will actively engage with faculty and visiting scientists in cross-disciplinary research.

Create a Tangible Legacy

Facilitating cross-disciplinary interaction:

18 Prep Labs: 9,700 sq. ft.

27 Laser and Condensed Matter Labs: 16,400 sq. ft.

8 Biophysics Labs: 4,300 sq. ft.

12 Conference Rooms: 5,358 sq. ft.

Plaza: 5,000 sq. ft.

Ellipse within the Plaza: 2,000 sq. ft.

Lobby: 3,000 square feet

"The PSC will provide a central focus on campus for imaginative minds and creative hands—a place where we can grow through interactions between scientists and engineers, mathematicians and philosophers," says Rajarshi Roy, Director of the Institute for Physical Science and Technology. "Learning is not compartmentalized; to understand nature, we need to bring all our senses to a heightened awareness and listen to the universe and to life at all levels."

The University of Maryland has begun construction on what will be the nation's finest university research facility in the physical sciences. The Physical Sciences Complex will be an architectural jewel, providing 158,068 square feet of space for one of the nation's premier centers of physical science, including outstanding Astronomy and Physics Departments and the remarkable cross-disciplinary Institute for Physical Sciences and Technology. When complete the building will rank among the top facilities in the world.

The innovative design of the new building creates an atmosphere where scientific interaction will happen easily and naturally among students and faculty. Functional and imaginative, the design is highlighted by a multi-story elliptical glass cone open to the sky. Passing through the center of an elevated area of offices, the cone provides natural lighting for the collaborative space and the corridors at each level.

The Complex will include a remarkable array of high-tech laboratories with temperature control and vibration and electromagnetic radiation isolation capabilities unsurpassed by any other university facility in the country.

"In our work on single molecule manipulation, such as DNA molecules or proteins, we are often interested in movements of one nanometer or less,” explains Arthur La Porta, of Physics and IPST. "An environment with very precise temperature control, free of spurious sound, is critical, since thermal expansion of our apparatus or even the smallest vibration can ruin the precision of our measurements. The state-of-the-art environmental controls in the new Physical Sciences Complex will give us a big research advantage."

"We are doing research that was not even conceivable 50 years ago," says Drew Baden, Chair of the Department of Physics. "Success requires an experimental facility that is second to none, and the Physical Sciences Complex is exactly what we need."

The Physical Sciences Complex will support major collaborative efforts with nearby federal agencies, including the Joint Quantum Institute (Physics and the National Institute of Standards and Technology) and the Joint Space-Science Institute (Astronomy, Physics and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center), and a growing collaboration between IPST and the National Institutes of Health and the Biophysics group in Physics.

"This building sets the tone for the future. The whole structure is designed to create opportunities for interaction and collaboration," says Stuart Vogel, Chair of the Department of Astronomy. Robert Dorfman, senior member of IPST and former CMNS dean, comments, "There is a certain element of human chemistry in research efforts; interaction is important in stimulating new ideas and directions. The new building will facilitate cross-disciplinary interaction and make it possible for scientists to talk with each other naturally."

The space around the ellipse on the upper floors is much wider than a normal corridor, and is designed to encourage and stimulate scientific conversation. "We've made the hallways serve as extensions of the rooms, where people can meet and congregate. The light and transparency contributes to a sense of interaction," says Simon Trumble, of CUH2A, a global architecture, engineering and planning firm, and project designer for the facility.

The Complex will combine exceptional environmentally controlled laboratories with a creative design that drives interaction of scientists from every imaginable sub-discipline. With this building the College will create an innovative scientific environment unmatched in this country to spark the cross-disciplinary research and the learning opportunities that will characterize the great institutions of the future.

Create a tangible legacy of your personal connection
to the College and the University.

Naming Opportunities
for Alumni, Friends, Corporations and Foundations:

The Building
The Ellipse
The Lobby
The Plaza
High-tech Laboratories
Conference Rooms

Construction on the Physical Sciences Complex (PSC) has begun and is due to be completed July 1, 2013; when finished the PSC will be one of the largest, most visible and innovative buildings on campus. While the State of Maryland has committed to fund the initial part of the complex, the University plans to raise capital from private sources to name the facility and prominent spaces inside the facility. From naming a classroom or laboratory, to a plaque in a conference room, there are many ways to become part of this magnificent building, while contributing to its exciting future. To create a tangible legacy of your personal connection to the College and the University, contact Andrea Morris, aemorris@umd.edu or (301) 405-4572.