As the fall semester marches inexorably toward December, science faculty members await their anticipated return to Stoffer Science Hall. The chemistry department is currently residing in the Henderson Learning Resources Center and the physics and biology departments are in the Washburn Apartments on Washburn Avenue, located just off campus. Although the different departments were relocated at different times, all of them are anxious to return to Stoffer.

“I look forward to not having to dodge traffic on my way to class, not having to carry all of my books and materials for the day,” said Keith Mazachek, coordinator of the Engineering Transfer Program at Washburn.

He added that he is hopeful that they will be able to move back to Stoffer during winter break as planned.

The chemistry department was hardest hit in the area of student research. Without ready access to scientific instruments and research facilities, student research suffered greatly.

The renovated building is sure to prove worth the wait, however. Changes include more lab space for each department, a more efficient vegetative “green roof” and the relocation of the Computer Information Sciences Department to the third floor of Stoffer. Also on the third floor with CIS will be the chemistry offices. The second floor will contain the offices of the physics, astronomy and biology departments.

The main advantage of the move is that it gives science students greater ease of access to the department, vital for courses such as computational physics.

“The renovations far outweigh any inconvenience,” said Stephen Angel, chair of the chemistry department. “We now have contemporary teaching laboratories, I suspect the best in the state and perhaps the Midwest region, that will greatly enhance science educational opportunities at Washburn University.”