9313510 Hemberger Roanoke College has been recognized as one of the most rapidly improving undergraduate programs in the South, as evidenced by recent increases in the quality of its applicants and the research accomplishments of its faculty, especially in the sciences. The number of declared science majors at Roanoke College has increased by 27%, which stands in stark contrast to the downward national trend. Student involvement with faculty research is commonplace. The Science Center complex at Roanoke College is a five- story, 120,000 square foot structure that houses the College's scientific research and research training activities. Since its construction in 1971, research labs in the complex have suffered from ground water infiltration, and the building's ventilation, plumbing, and electrical systems have aged to a point that they no longer serve the rapidly growing science program. The proposed renovation will address these problems, thereby enabling the College to 1) support the research activities of its faculty, 2) provide suitable environments for research equipment, 3) offer research training as a part of undergraduate coursework, 4) create opportunities for joint student- faculty research, and 5) attract students to careers in science. ***
