Texas, USA
October 30, 2015
Texas Tech University’s continued commitment to agricultural research and education took another step forward Friday with the opening of the new Bayer Plant Science Building.
Thanks in part to Bayer CropScience, a longtime philanthropic partner in of the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, the Bayer Plant Science Building will provide students with a state of the art facility to learn and conduct research as well as collaborate on projects with fellow students.
“Texas Tech University’s relationship with Bayer CropScience provides a lasting example of the inherent importance of collaboration and partnerships with industry,” Texas Tech President M. Duane Nellis said. “We are grateful to Bayer CropScience for its commitment to supporting higher education and research.”
At a cost of $14.3 million funded from donations, including a lead gift from Bayer CropScience, the project adds more than 21,000 square feet of laboratory and office space while also renovating more than 2,400 square feet of interior and exterior space in the Plant & Soil Science Building, which houses the Department of Plant & Soil Science.
“I greatly appreciate Bayer CropScience’s continued commitment to philanthropy and Texas Tech University,” said Robert L. Duncan, chancellor of the Texas Tech University System. “The work that will take place in this beautiful facility will change not only lives but the face of agriculture itself. I have fond memories of this building from my days as an undergraduate student and look forward to seeing more lives transformed through the power of education.”
The Department of Plant & Soil Science consists of 28 faculty members who conduct research on a large scale, from the cellular level to large-scale eco-systems. The department offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as a doctorate and four post-graduate certification programs.
The expanded facility includes new research and teaching labs that enable the department to expand its research mission and build on Texas Tech’s growing reputation as a national research university. The high-tech equipment and expanded laboratories give researchers the tools to address emerging global challenges in food and fiber production. The new building also creates an enclosed courtyard that serves as an outdoor instructional space for Plant & Soil Science programs.
Renovations inside the existing Plant & Soil Science Building connect the existing structure with the new building as well as new offices for faculty, staff and graduate students. It also provides a new break room, accessible restrooms, infrastructure upgrades, landscape enhancements and public art.
“The opening of the Bayer Plant Science Building is a significant milestone in the history of the Department of Plant & Soil Science and the college,” said Michael Galyean, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources. “The addition of critically needed laboratory space and offices for faculty and graduate students will ensure the department continues to provide research solutions for the agricultural and natural resources community and will further enhance its position as a leader in research and graduate education on campus. We are indebted to Bayer CropScience and the many other donors to this project for their generosity and continuing support of the college’s programs.”
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