The white tents in the former Columbus Street Parking Lot were packed with students, faculty, and community members all buzzing with excitement over Northeastern’s new Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex. The state-of-the-art 220,000 square foot building will include classrooms, facilities, academic offices, and interactive spaces. Students from across the scientific disciplines – from computer science, to the life sciences, to engineering – will be able to come together to research and solve problems. Northeastern Provost Stephen Director lauded the building as a “testament to our goals a distinguished global research university.”
Guests at the event heard from multiple speakers impacted by the construction of the complex. Laura Lewis, a professor in the engineering department, stated that the building would rely upon a “very unique and creative medley of Northeastern imagination, expertise, and knowledge.” Students from all disciplines will collaborate to solve challenges in security, health, and sustainability. Miles Graham, a 7th grader at Mass Charter Middle School, reflected on a program he participated in at Northeastern. According to him, the program “provided a world of opportunities and confirmed [that his] dream of becoming an engineer was real.” He was excited for the building’s potential to further his dreams in science.
Lastly, Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun spoke about how the new complex will be a bridge between the Roxbury and Northeastern communities. Mayor Walsh said, “A science complex of this scale has the chance to be a shining example of the best Boston has to offer.” He also praised the construction of the building for its ability to create new jobs. “We want to make sure that the great education that’s going on inside the campus is happening outside of the campus,” he said.
“The future of our university is intimately linked to the well-being of this community here and to the well-being of Boston,” said President Aoun, who noted that his office is located and rooted in Roxbury. “This magnificent complex is going to be here and it’s going to be here for the community,” he said. “Yes, there will be jobs, yes, there will be educational facilities, and yes, it will be open to the community at large.”
Lindsey Bressler
International Affairs and Economics 2018
