The College has received a $150-million lead commitment for a new science complex that will catalyze a half-billion dollars of investment in science and technology. The anonymous gift is the largest in Colby’s history and one of the most generous for any liberal arts college. The new funding will elevate Colby’s role in Maine’s burgeoning science ecosystem, create new engineering and public health programs to enable faculty and students to lead in new and emergent fields, and make it possible for the College to build a state-of-the-art science complex.
The new facility and programs will deepen opportunities for students and faculty to identify solutions for some of the most vexing health and environmental issues facing the state of Maine and the country; allow the College to build on its collaborations with science research organizations; support the state’s K-12 STEM education; and create the right environment for rural areas to compete in science and technology and generate 21st-century jobs in a fast-paced innovation economy.
Colby has recently made a number of strategic investments that have laid the groundwork for this major initiative.
“Colby has long had outstanding science programs, and that work has been deeply connected to other scientific organizations across the state and around the world. These investments will allow us to take that work to a new level, ensuring that science education and the application of scientific knowledge and discovery are addressing the needs of Maine.” —David A. Greene, President of Colby College
Colby will significantly expand its science faculty and introduce a suite of engineering and applied science programs that are forward-looking, solutions-oriented, and relevant for Maine. These will include biomedical engineering, environmental engineering, materials engineering, and public health.
“Expanded science and engineering programming at Colby in this moment represents an incredible
opportunity for our students to take a human-centered approach to science and technology.” —Denise Bruesewitz, Provost and Clara C. Piper Professor of Environmental Studies
Train engineering leaders who will work collaboratively with the state’s scientists, entrepreneurs, and communities to develop scalable solutions for a range of environmental challenges and opportunities facing the state, including soil contamination, rising sea levels, and unsafe drinking water.
Envision a biomedical engineering program that directly addresses pressing human health and well-being challenges. This program will train the next generation of STEM researchers and foster new partnerships that will significantly enhance health outcomes across Maine and beyond.
Develop novel materials with specific properties that contribute to a variety of critical applications, including biomedical devices, environmental sustainability, and robotics. Materials science will have inherent synergies with other engineering fields given the universal utility of materials in many solutions-focused engineering fields.
Trained experts in public health will improve social outcomes through insights and opportunities supported by data science and statistical modeling, provide outreach to local communities struggling with public health crises, and connect disciplines and departments across campus. Dr. Nirav Shah, former principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will teach several courses and help advance the College’s public health initiative.
“Colby is well-positioned to be a national leader in undergraduate public health education, and I’m honored to help play a role.” —Dr. Nirav Shah
A key part of Colby’s science initiative has been its commitment to building and expanding partnerships with leading science and technology organizations in Maine, including the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care, The Jackson Laboratory, the MaineHealth Institute for Research, and the MDI Biological Laboratory.
“We are honored to continue working alongside President Greene and the Colby Board of Trustees as
they launch this bold expansion, which will transform science in Maine for generations to come.” —Dr. Hermann Haller, President of MDI Biological Laboratory
Colby’s science initiative includes a substantial commitment to expanding the state’s capacity for STEM education at the K-12 level, which is a critical need in Maine. Central to this work will be Colby’s Partnerships in Science and Math Outreach, a linked set of funding, internship, and educational opportunities that will enable the College to significantly impact Maine math and science education through innovative programming developed in partnership with educators.
“You don’t think of a liberal arts school as being a place where scientists go, but Colby is such a visionary place.”
—Andrea Tilden, Director of the Linde Packman Lab for Biosciences Innovation and the Leslie Brainerd Arey Associate Professor of Biosciences
The Buck Lab for Climate and Environment is a nexus for collaborations among Colby students, faculty, staff, and community partners to investigate and help solve pressing environmental challenges, in Maine and around the world.
The Center for Resilience and Economic Impact is an interdisciplinary research-and-action center to help Maine’s cities and towns build and strengthen their resilience to adversity and develop plans to foster thriving communities.
The Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence facilitates interdisciplinary, human-centered scholarship using rich datasets with real-world consequences and prepares students for a future where AI is transforming industries, careers, and modes of discovery, creativity, and scholarship.
The Halloran Lab for Entrepreneurship provides entrepreneurship education and training programs, funding for students to start commercial and social enterprises, mentorships, as well as innovation and makerspaces on campus and in downtown Waterville.
A 500-acre coastal research campus, the Island Campus, comprised of Allen and Benner islands, creates academic opportunities across all disciplines as centers for learning, research, and creative inspiration.
The Linde Packman Lab for Biosciences Innovation prepares students to become the next generation of science leaders and innovators.
This center speeds scientific discovery, provides a leading-edge educational program, and supports the use of computational tools and methods across the College’s entire curriculum.
The Public Policy Lab is a non-partisan lab and an innovative hub for interdisciplinary research, immersive learning, and meaningful collaboration with policymakers and community stakeholders across Maine and the United States.
The Pulver Science Scholars Program is designed to create a pipeline for the most ambitious and talented students from all backgrounds to pursue research at the nation’s top science laboratories.