SJSU Media Relations:

Robin McElhatton, 408-924-1749, robin.mcelhatton@sjsu.edu

SAN JOSE, CA – San Jose State University received final approval today from the California State University Board of Trustees for plans to build an eight-story, 161,200-square-foot, $181 million Interdisciplinary Science Building.

“On behalf of San Jose State University, I would like to thank the California State University Board of Trustees for approving our Interdisciplinary Science Building and supporting our efforts to bring our students a new cutting-edge academic research and teaching building befitting SJSU’s location in the heart of Silicon Valley,” President Mary A. Papazian said.

The Interdisciplinary Science Building will be financed with CSU Systemwide Revenue Bonds, campus designated capital reserves, auxiliary reserves, and continuing education reserves.

The structure will be located in the southwest quadrant of campus, near Duncan Hall, one of two existing science buildings. The current Science Building was completed in 1957 and Duncan Hall in 1967, making the ISB the first new science building in more than a half century.

Construction is slated to begin in 2019, and anticipated to be completed in 2021. The collaborative design/build contractor is McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. The project architect is FLAD Architects

Supporting collaboration and partnerships

The project primarily will serve San Jose State’s College of Science, which currently enrolls more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students in programs for biology, chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics and statistics, meteorology and climate science, physics and astronomy, and science education. The college also administers the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.

“San Jose State University’s new Interdisciplinary Science Building will provide essential teaching, research and collaboration space for our STEM students, extending learning beyond the classroom. In addition, the building will enhance our growing partnerships with industry leaders in Silicon Valley,” Dean Michael Kaufman said.

Features will including the following:

Biology and chemistry teaching and research labs, collaboration space, 41 faculty offices, and administrative and support areas.

Biology and chemistry teaching and research labs, collaboration space, 41 faculty offices, and administrative and support areas. A mentoring hub on each floor where students will work on interdisciplinary projects, connect with faculty, and meet with industry partners.

A collaborative core in hallways between classrooms and research labs that will allow student and faculty researchers to brainstorm and plan their projects.

A high-performance computing suite for astronomers, physicists, social scientists, health professionals and more, where students and faculty from different disciplines can share their work and improve their research techniques.

Designed to meet or exceed environmental standards

“San Jose State University’s Interdisciplinary Science Building will be forward-looking—to the future of education and of Silicon Valley,” Vice President for Administration and Finance Charlie Faas said. “The proposed approach enables the campus to best use its limited land base to increase campus density to accommodate the academic program.”

This project will be designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver and target LEED Gold in order to meet the sustainability objectives of the campus by using an efficient building envelope that will reduce heating and cooling demand.

Other sustainable design features will include efficient LED lighting systems, a cool roof, and the use of recycled water in restrooms and for landscape irrigation.

About San Jose State University

The founding campus of the 23-campus California State University system, San Jose State provides a comprehensive university education, granting bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in 250 areas of study – offered through its eight colleges.

With more than 35,000 students and nearly 4,370 employees, San Jose State University continues to be an essential partner in the economic, cultural and social development of Silicon Valley and the state, annually contributing 10,000 graduates to the workforce.

The university is immensely proud of the accomplishments of its more than 260,000 alumni, 60 percent of whom live and work in the Bay Area.