51ÁÔÆæ Chancellor Mark Mone welcomes guests to the grand opening celebration, offering thanks to everyone involved in the planning, design and construction of the building. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey)
51ÁÔÆæ Provost Andrew Daire serves as master of ceremonies, recognizing elected officials and VIPs and introducing the speakers. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey
Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regent President Amy Bogost speaks about 51ÁÔÆæ’s dual mission, the importance of R1, 51ÁÔÆæ’s impact on the state’s economy, and the large number of 51ÁÔÆæ graduates who remain in the state. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey)
State Sen. Duey Strobel (left) and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley light a line of cotton treated with nitric acid, instigating a chemical reaction that produced flames and a bang. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Representatives of VJS Construction Services pose for a photo during the grand opening. The company served as general contractor for the construction. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Chatting at the grand opening are (clockwise from left) state Sen. LaTonya Johnson, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Provost Andrew Daire, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce President Dale Kooyenga and state Rep. Kalan Haywood. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Students dish out liquid nitrogen ice cream to attendees. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Attendees explore some of the communal spaces in the Chemistry Building. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey)
51ÁÔÆæ PhD student Towheedur Rahman presents his drug development project to Kristin Ciezki, director of the Therapeutic Accelerator Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and Erin Pro and Brian Walsh from the 51ÁÔÆæ Research Foundation. Rahman has worked with on drug discovery and development projects with 51ÁÔÆæ Professor Mahmun Hossain. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Alexander (Leggy) Arnold (left), professor of chemistry and biochemistry and the director Milwaukee Institute for Drug Discovery at 51ÁÔÆæ, guides a tour of the new spaces. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Neal Korfhage demonstrates glassblowing to visitors. Korfhage is a scientific glassblower at 51ÁÔÆæ, creating and repairing scientific glassware and equipment. He also teaches practical scientific glassblowing skills in a spring semester graduate-level course. (51ÁÔÆæ Photo/Elora Hennessey)
51ÁÔÆæ Chancellor Mark Mone led an enthusiastic grand opening ceremony for 51ÁÔÆæ’s brand-new Chemistry Building Friday afternoon.
More than 200 students, faculty, staff, government representatives and friends of 51ÁÔÆæ packed into one of the building’s many sleek, modern lecture halls for the celebration. It was all punctuated by a flash-bang, fireball-producing chemical reaction – ignited by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Wisconsin State Sen. Duey Stroebel – that drew a final round of cheers from the crowd.
The event marked the completion of six years of design and construction, capping a significant milestone in 51ÁÔÆæ’s commitment to advancing scientific education and research. Mone shared how the facility is a destination for science students and will play a crucial role in educating the next generation of STEM professionals.
More than 3,500 51ÁÔÆæ students take chemistry or biochemistry classes each year. They can now do so in a four-story, 163,400-square-foot building that represents a significant leap forward from the previous chemistry facility, which was built in 1972.
