Northeastern Breaks Ground on New Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex

Northeastern Breaks Ground on New Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex

On February 21, 2014, students, faculty, staff, and members of the local community gathered at Northeastern’s Columbus parking lot to view the groundbreaking ceremony for Northeastern’s new Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex (ISEC). This $225 million investment will consist of 220,000 square feet of research and educational space over six stories. The building will also have a three star Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, following in the footsteps of International Village.

To live up to its name, the complex will house research facilities and office space for four of the university’s seven colleges: the College of Science, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, College of Engineering, and College of Computer and Information Science. Provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, Stephen W. Director, said that the most significant part of the complex is its interdisciplinary nature: “Our research focuses on finding solutions to the global challenges in the areas of health, sustainability, and security. Solutions to these challenges require the collaboration of many minds working together in many fields.”

President Aoun highlighted another significant goal of the ISEC: bringing together Northeastern University and the local Boston community. “This magnificent complex is going to be here, and it’s going to be here for the community.”

Also in attendance was new Boston mayor Marty Walsh in his first official visit to Northeastern. Walsh spoke highly of the ISEC, saying that it “promises to be a positive addition to this neighborhood,” providing jobs in construction and maintenance, and will help “close the achievement gap not just in schools but in neighborhoods.”

Miles Graham, a local seventh-grader at the Match Charter Public School, was invited to the groundbreaking to speak about the effects that the ISEC will have on the youth of Boston. Graham, an aspiring engineer, stated that “this new building represents a bigger and better opportunity to bridge Boston’s youth” to science and engineering careers. He believes that complexes like this and the initiatives that Northeastern emphasizes are “how dreams become real.”

The complex is scheduled to be completed by 2016.

Katie Hudson, Marine Biology, 2017

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