Oechsle Hall
Oechsle Hall, a new state-of-the-art teaching and research facility for neuroscience and psychology, opened in fall 2002. The building provides 45,000 square feet of space on four levels for students and faculty, including classrooms, teaching laboratories, faculty-student research laboratories, faculty offices, and student meeting areas. An animal research area, observation rooms, multimedia seminar rooms, a large lecture hall, computers, and video equipment are included in the fully networked building.
Cubicles in the laboratory rooms have links to the campus computer and video networks. Students use the cubicles to observe laboratory animals and collect research data. Other rooms are equipped for the neural and behavioral assessment of a wide variety of animals. Electroencephalograph (EEG) equipment is available to study cognitive neuroscience, and facilities are available for conducting studies on humans.
Rockwell Integrated Science Center
Opened and dedicated in September 2019, and named for Trustee Emeritus S. Kent Rockwell ’66, Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center offers a signature space for the biology and computer science departments, as well as the environmental science and environmental studies programs. It also houses the neuroscience program, Bradbury Dyer III ’64 Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Daniel and Heidi ’91 Hanson Center for Inclusive STEM Education, and Office of Sustainability. The facility has fundamentally changed how Lafayette combines the liberal arts and sciences by providing spaces for interdisciplinary engagement and room for expansion as the College grows.
In 2021, Rockwell won an American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment top-10 award. The award for sustainable design excellence is given annually to 10 innovative projects recognized for their integration of design excellence with environmental performance. Rockwell was designed to reduce energy consumption by 45% below the LEED (leadership in energy and environmental design) baseline. Last year, it received LEED Platinum certification, the highest recognition awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council for sustainable, energy-efficient design and construction.
