University of New Hampshire will expand its work in ocean exploration with the construction of a new wing at the Chase Engineering Laboratory to support bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering and faculty research.
The expansion is available thanks to a $3 million gift from an anonymous alumnus, UNH informed.
“Our students are in a unique environment to create exciting employment opportunities for themselves, and make an impact in confronting challenges we face including rising sea levels, building sustainable infrastructure and exploring ocean generated alternative energies,” said Charles Zercher , interim dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, which hosts the ocean engineering undergraduate degree. “We are grateful for this generous gift and what it will make possible for our students.”
The School of Marine Sciences and Ocean Engineering building expansion will include four research labs, an instrumentation lab, a machine shop and a computer cluster room for students. It will also house a 90-seat lecture hall, a seminar classroom and a large covered outdoor workspace.
The new research labs will provide space for UNH’s four identified areas of academic study and research within ocean engineering: ocean structures, coastal sediments, ocean acoustics and marine robotics.