A Look Inside Dickinson College's Rector Science Complex
Rector Science Complex
Video by Joe O'Neill
High-tech space inspires in-depth interdisciplinary work, research
A decade after Dickinson unveiled the innovative Rector Science Complex, we checked in with Dickinson students and professors to learn why this campus landmark continues to draw talented students interested in studying science. What we learned: Rector love is a real thing, and it’s stronger than ever.
Since Rector was completed in 2008, Dickinson’s science departments have seen significant increases in the numbers of students who choose to major in science, and it's no secret why. The complex, which includes professional-quality, high-tech labs, a modern design and sustainable features, brings students and professors in different science disciplines together and includes comfortable collaborative work and study spaces, making it easier to engage in interdisciplinary problem-solving and research. That’s vital at Dickinson, where students are trained to make connections between disciplines and where they find opportunities to conduct student-faculty research and present work at professional conferences.
“I looked at a lot of liberal-arts colleges when deciding where to go. Rector was definitely one of the reasons I chose to come here,” said Eryn Nelson ’19 (chemistry), who researched the natural compounds found in cruciferous vegetables as part of a student-faculty project and is now pursuing a Ph.D. in chemistry at Georgetown University.
“Our labs are beautiful, and they’re state-of-the-art,” says Nathan Stull ’21, a fellow chemistry major. “It made me realize that this is one of the schools I really want to go to.”
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Published September 5, 2019