The new SigmaPharm Laboratories Organic Chemistry Suite, which is part of TCNJ’s new Chemistry Addition, was dedicated on Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at a ceremony in the new STEM Forum.
TCNJ President Dr. R. Barbara Gitenstein and School of Science Dean Dr. Jeffrey M. Osborn both shared remarks outlining the importance and impact of the new facilities across TCNJ and thanking the SigmaPharm Laboratories corporate family, especially Dr. Spiro Spireas, Chairman and CEO, and his wife, Dr. Amalia Kassapidis-Spireas, for their generous gift.
In recognition of their generosity and commitment to the College, President Gitenstein presented Dr. Spiro Spireas and Dr. Amalia Kassapidis-Spireas each with a TCNJ President’s Seal Medallion. The plaque bearing the suite’s new name was also unveiled, followed by tours of the new facility.
The new SigmaPharm Laboratories Organic Chemistry Suite will be utilized for the department’s sophomore-level and upper-level laboratory courses, as well as its robust undergraduate research program.
The open design of the suite intentionally supports the kind of powerful learning that TCNJ’s mission requires. The spaces were specifically designed to maximize interdisciplinary connections and collaborative learning among students and faculty in a research-based curriculum.
The goal for the SigmaPharm Laboratories Organic Chemistry Suite is to provide an inner-connected set of labs that are designed for 21st century pedagogy and research in organic chemistry. In particular, the state-of-the-art fume hoods are located around the perimeter, with adjacent but separated long runs of lab benches. This will allow for a clean separation, yet easy transition, from wet chemistry to dry bench surface for writing and reading. Moreover, the center of each lab is designed for key instrumentation, with ergonomic and efficient access to the long benches and a center island.
The Suite includes two organic chemistry laboratories, each with an entry backpack/coat storage room, and a shared preparatory laboratory. The total Suite encompasses nearly 4,000 net square-feet.
Outside of the formal laboratory Suite, the first floor includes an important informal learning space, an open student commons.
(Photos by Andrew Cislak ’20)
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About SigmaPharm Laboratories
SigmaPharm Laboratories, a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company based in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, is engaged in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of unique generic and branded products. The company also provides contract development and manufacturing of patentable, stable and maximally bioavailable formulations of new chemical entities.
For More Information:
- TCNJ Department of Chemistry
- TCNJ’s STEM Complex Project
- SigmaPharm Laboratories
- SigmaPharm Laboratories Donates Organic Chemistry Suite to the College of New Jersey – Cosmos Philly, November 2, 2017 (includes video)
- SigmaPharm Laboratories Brings New Lab to Chemistry Majors at TCNJ – Hellenic News, November 8, 2017