The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Fresno State is undertaking a major effort to upgrade its undergraduate teaching labs to make them more modern and flexible.

This strategic investment — supported by Chevron — will create the spaces needed to attract, retain and inspire the best students, and to prepare them for the dynamic workforce of the future, said Dr. Christopher Meyer, dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at Fresno State.

Renovation of Room 118 in the Science II building has already been completed. The movable lab benches were added so the lab can be reconfigured for group projects and tutorials. The lab renovation will serve as an example for several upcoming remodels. This space served an average of 800 undergraduate students each semester before COVID-19 restrictions.

To continue renovating outdated spaces, the College of Science and Mathematics is raising funds from generous donors. The project has been designated as a strategic priority on campus. A gift to the renovations in the College of Science and Mathematics at Fresno State is an investment in the future STEM workforce, Meyer said. It will also allow the department to expand course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) and distance learning, as well as professional advancement opportunities.

For more information on giving opportunities, please contact Eric Maul at 559.278.5995 or maul@mail.fresnostate.edu.