The opening of a new Pitt Life Sciences Building took place recently in Pennsylvania at the University of Pittsburgh. The University celebrated the event in partnership with the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce. Now that the facility has been completed, the University will have more amenities and space for its life sciences programs.
Construction on the $19.5 million Pitt Life Sciences Building began in September 2021. The University built the facility to provide learning experiences for its students similar to those at Excela Health facilities. Additionally, the building will now become the new home of the University’s nursing program, which was relocated from McKenna Hall.Â
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The director of Pitt-Greensburg’s nursing program, Marie Fioravanti was pleased with the Pitt Life Sciences Building. He pointed out that the new facility will enable the University to admit more students into its nursing program. According to Fioravanti, this is particularly important since the graduates will help fill the need for more nurses in the communities.Â
Features of the new Pitt Life Sciences Building
The nursing area at the Life Sciences Building features a Smail Simulation Suite and a Tele-Health Room. The Smail Simulation section provides access to two simulation rooms and a control room. Faculty can program manikins at the Smail section with symptoms to show certain symptoms to which nursing students will respond to. While the telehealth room incorporates technology that students can use to practice assessing patients and providing care in remote settings.
In addition to the nursing area, the two-story Pitt Life Sciences Building has other facilities for science courses. The building includes health science, biology, microbiology, and chemistry labs, as well as faculty offices, conference, and shared study rooms. A new chemistry wing was also built, which links the building to Smith Hall; a facility that has housed science-Ârelated studies since the 1970s.
The Life Sciences Building provides sustainable design features such as large windows for natural lighting. The university hopes to attain a silver rating for its new building under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines.
