Nazareth College is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the George I. Alden Trust to support the establishment of the Biology Enhancement Project. The Alden Grant will be entirely devoted to updating Nazareth's biology laboratory equipment and is expected to launch in the '06-'07 academic year. Benefiting the most from Nazareth's enhanced biology education will be biology, environmental science, biochemistry, nursing and physical therapy students, as well as non-biology majors taking a lab course in the biology department.
Recently, Nazareth College President Daan Braveman, with the support of Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and other area college presidents, spoke publicly about the importance of innovation as a prerequisite for developing the new ideas that will produce jobs in our local and national economies. He said such innovation requires people trained in math and science. The Biology Enhancement project is just one of many initiatives the College is taking to increase its focus on math and science education.
"Nazareth College wants to ensure that its students have use of the latest state-of-the-art technology," says Braveman. "We have a duty to uphold a promise we make to students from the moment they elect to come here: to provide the highest quality education and learning experiences. This generous grant will allow Nazareth to continue to keep that promise."
The Biology Enhancement Project is comprised of four different areas: the establishment of a well equipped Freshman Biology Center; the modernization of the Human Anatomy and Physiology laboratory; the upgrading of digital microscopy imaging; and the establishment of a biology computer server.
Chair of Nazareth's Biology Department Brian W. Witz says, "The new anatomy and physiology equipment will provide substantial support to the interdisciplinary cooperation between Nazareth's College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Health and Human Services."
"The new equipment builds on our basic principle that biology is always both observation and communication," adds Professor of Biology Matthew J. Temple. "Through the new and improved microscopes, cameras and computer-connected hardware, we are better able to observe and analyze data and present professional reports. Through the new networked computer server, we will be able to better communicate and share that data amongst biology students and faculty, producing results that are scientifically sound and personally satisfying."
The George I. Alden Trust was established in 1912 for the general purpose of giving to the area of higher education, predominantly in support of independent undergraduate education. Grants are given to those institutions deemed by trustees to demonstrate a combination of educational excellence, exciting programming, and efficient and effective administration.
