Science Center Facilities

Department Chairs:
Michael W. Nee
Office: A378

Administrative Assistant:
Patricia West

Department Email:
chemistry@oberlin.edu

Phone: (440) 775-8300
Fax: (440) 775-6682

Location:
Science Center A263
119 Woodland St.
Oberlin, OH, 44074

The Science Center

Built in 2001, the Science Center houses biology, chemistry, neuroscience, physics, and the science library. The chemistry space is located on the 2nd & 3rd floors of the north wing and was designed with computers, complex instruments, chemical safety, contemporary pedagogies, and more comfortable learning spaces in mind.

The Commons

A favorite area for students to study, eat and generally relax with friends.

David Love Lounge

Located on the second floor overlooking the commons, the David Love Lounge is a prime spot for chatting, studying, and social gatherings for students and faculty in the science division. We are pleased to be a part of this exciting time in Oberlin's long history of excellence in science.

Laboratories

The Oberlin Science Center accommodates the research needs of both faculty members and students.

All science faculty members at Oberlin pursue active research programs, and all have lab space that is appropriate for their research interests. In addition, every faculty lab is configured for work with several student assistants, enhancing opportunities for the collaborative research relationships for which Oberlin is so well known.

Instructional labs are extremely flexible. Several have movable furniture so professors can arrange the space according to the needs of each class.

A majority of Oberlin science majors pursue research during their undergraduate years, either independently or with a faculty member. Demonstrated competency in research is virtually a requirement for entry into most graduate and medical schools, and the Oberlin Science Center fully accommodates individual student researchers. Space exists for up to 45 student researchers in biology, 30 in chemistry, and 15 in neuroscience.

The center also contains three computer laboratories: one each on the first and second floors, and one in the library. The lab in the library contains a ceiling-mounted projection unit, making it usable as a classroom when needed. Library staff members use the space to educate students on how to access and use scientific resources. The library's computer lab is an inviting place to work, flooded with natural light from two full walls of windows overlooking North Bowl.

Lecture halls

The lecture halls in the Oberlin Science Center take full advantage of modern technology. All are wired for Internet access. The 75-seat physics auditorium is equipped with modern audiovisual equipment and capabilities, allowing projection of slides, laser discs, videocassettes, DVDs, material from the Internet and other computer-driven projections. Functional table seating makes it comfortable for students taking notes.

The Norman C. Craig Lecture Hall, a 130-seat space, is the most technologically sophisticated hall in the center, with an Internet connection at every seat. The room has multiple projector capabilities that allow the display of both side-by-side and centered-image presentations, as well as a 20-foot-wide screen. A special camera unit allows professors to project images of demonstrations being done on the lab bench at the front of the auditorium onto this screen, ensuring a clear view even for those in the farthest seats. (This camera set up is portable and can be used anywhere in the center.) Video and computer connections to the observatory in Peters Hall allow the display of telescope images during astronomy classes.

With a seating capacity of 230, the West Lecture Hall is the largest lecture hall on campus. This hall is also outfitted with systems to project slides, videocassettes, and DVDs. The room can accommodate satellite videoconferencing and also contains two 16-mm film projectors.

Wright Lecture Hall has a seating capacity of 75 and full multimedia capability.

Science Library

Located at: Science Center
119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074-1097

An excellent science library fills much of the first floor of the north wing of the Science Center. The library is professionally-staffed and has current subscriptions to a large number of journals and an extensive print reference and monograph collection. Access to other journals is possible through the OhioLink Electronic Journals Center.

Students and faculty can perform literature searches through SciFinder Scholar/Chemical Abstracts and other services.

Campus Operator
phone: (440) 775-8121

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email: communications@oberlin.edu
phone: (440) 775-8474

College of Arts & Sciences Admissions
phone: (800) 622-6243 or (440) 775-8411
101 N. Professor St., Oberlin, OH 44074