The new Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies officially opened last Friday with the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony that culminated a two-day biotechnology symposium. The ribbon-cutting comes almost two-and-one-half years after RPI broke ground on the $80 million, 218,000-square-foot center on May 17, 2002.
Although the building was opened last Friday, plans do not call for the building to be opened for research for another four to six weeks.
According to Robert Palazzo, acting director of the new center and chair of the Department of Biology, plans called for control of the building to be turned back over to the contractor on Monday so that “final fit outs” and changes can be made to individual rooms and labs, since most of the building construction has been completed. He said that he expected faculty to be able to begin moving in mid-to-late October.
Prior to the actual ribbon-cutting, a ceremony was held that filled the 150-seat, fully wired auditorium of the new building. Samuel Heffner Jr. ’56, chairman of the Board of Trustees, welcomed both those in the auditorium and the people watching via simulcasts to the DCC and the internet: “This is a truly historic day for Rensselaer.”
Heffner stated that almost five years ago, in President Shirley Ann Jackson’s inaugural address, she challenged RPI to think outside of the areas the Institute is normally known for and that the opening of the center is a fulfillment of part of The Rensselaer Plan. Heffner then proceeded to introduce Jackson to the audience.
Jackson thanked many of the people responsible for the planning and building of the center, pointing out that many of the people on the architectural teams were alumni of RPI. She said, “Our vision is now reality... Welcome to our vision.”
She then read a letter from Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was unable to attend the ceremony. Clinton sent her congratulations and her “best wishes for a wonderful event and for continued success with this new chapter in RPI’s history.”
Congressman Michael McNulty and Joseph Bruno, the majority leader of the New York State Senate, also spoke. Robert Palazzo, spoke to why he believed biotechnology was so important and said, “I think [this center] is a minor miracle—I really do.”
Palazzo also gave some advice to students: “Do not fear error; but be fearless.” He also referenced the advice given by Shirley Tilghman, president of Princeton University, at the symposium plenary session held the day before: “Aim high and be bold.” Finally, he referenced The Fly Bottle by David Egan presentation and urged students, “Never fall in love with your own hypothesis.”
Honorary Trustee Howard Isermann ’42 said he hoped that RPI will gain renown for research in biotechnology. Two members of the earlier Colloquy, Bruce Alberts, president of the National Academy of Sciences and chair of the National Research Council; and Elias Zerhouni, director of the National Institutes of Health, also spoke. Zerhouni said that without the investment of the new center, RPI “would have missed the 21st century.”
Jackson also pointed out a few other members of the audience, including the trustees, the Presidents of Siena and the Sage Colleges, the current mayor of Troy, Harry Tutunjian, and the former mayor of Troy, Mark Patterson. She also thanked the faculty and staff: “They are the true believers in what Rensselaer is and can be.”
Following the speeches, President Jackson was joined by many guests outside of the center as the ribbon was cut to officially open the building. A brief tour of the first two floors of the building showcased both the atrium and one of the large open laboratory rooms that can be used by many scientists in different disciplines simultaneously. All of the equipment in the room was said to be fully modular so that lab stations can be easily moved around.
