Modernized Research & Training Laboratories for Coker West Wing, Highlands Biological Station

Western Carolina University is awarded a grant for laboratory renovations at the Highlands Biological Station (HBS) located in the Blue Ridge of western North Carolina http://highlandsbiological.org/. Established as a center for research and training in the heart of the southern Appalachians, a temperate zone biodiversity hotspot, the William Chambers Coker Laboratory has been the primary locus of research and training at HBS for over 50 years. HBS serves all 17 institutions in the University of North Carolina system and annually attracts dozens of researchers from the US and abroad, hosts numerous visiting college and university classes, and for decades has offered an extensive program of summer courses in diverse areas of field biology.

Built in the 1950s, the West Wing of the Coker Laboratory is extensively used yet increasingly outmoded with modernization a top-priority renovation project to improve accessibility, and increase capacity and capability for research and training. Improvements will include (1) increasing the number of research laboratories in the west wing and equipping them with adequate work surfaces, lighting and electrical outlets, and (2) expanding and reconfiguring the main training lab to increase the amount of well-configured bench space and add additional equipment such as a fume hood, sinks, and storage for lab supplies. Common to both of these areas are electrical upgrades (the existing electrical system is not grounded and consists of 2-wire romex) and insulation/climate control (there is presently no insulation in this block building, and no humidity control). Improving safety and functionality through electrical and HVAC upgrades and reconfiguring research and teaching space of this wing for optimized use will yield a net increase in research laboratory space by 33%, and teaching/training space by 62%.

A prodigious quantity of scientific research and graduate and undergraduate courses have taken place in the Coker Laboratory over the years, largely centered around the unique and rich flora, fauna, and ecology of the region. As research base for numerous senior research groups and training ground for undergraduate and graduate students in many areas of terrestrial and aquatic ecology and organismal biology, these improvements will further enhance the high quality research and educational experiences for which HBS has been known for decades. Scientific productivity is closely linked to quality of research space, and HBS's ability to host researchers in expanded, modernized and ergonomically designed laboratories translates into quality publications and other research products. The Coker West Wing improvements also permit HBS to provide higher quality and quantities of immersion training in field biology, critical to preparing current and future generations of tertiary students from a variety of partnering institutions. Engagement with the local and regional communities will enable citizens to connect with and better understand the natural world through HBS-sponsored workshops, programs, and related activities for groups ranging from K-12 students to life-long learners to professionals conservation non-profits and federal and state agencies.