Oberlin College requests funds for partial renovation of the Wright Laboratory of Physics. The renovation will include the installation of a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system and modern ancillary laboratory services, including deionized water, domestic water, chemical sinks and drains, fume hoods, modern electric power, and a closed-loop cooling system. Interior walls and ceilings will be shielded against radio-frequency interference and relocated to create appropriately-sized rooms. The renovated facility will contain a Wet Chemistry Lab capable of supporting limited photolithography. The renovation will improve the quality and scope of faculty research, enhance the ability of the department to attract women and minority faculty members, allow the reinstatement of projects that have recently been abandoned, increase the number of opportunities for students to participate in research, and improve the intermediate and advanced laboratory courses, which are dependent on high-quality HVAC, wet chemical facilities and electrical environment.
