Freshwater and coastal waters may cover just a small portion of the planet, but they turn out to be powerful contributors to nitrogen fixation, a natural process essential to life on Earth. A new global study co-authored by Sarah Roley, associate professor of environmental science in the College of Arts and Sciences at Washington State University Tri-Cities, and Carmella Vizza, former ���سԹ� post-doctoral research associate and current assistant professor at Hawai’i Pacific University, reveals that these ecosystems produce far more nitrogen than previously recognized.

The research recently published in the journal Science, demonstrates that lakes, rivers, wetlands, and coastal waters fix approximately 40 million tons of usable nitrogen each year, which is about 15% of the global total. That’s a significant contribution, especially considering these environments represent less than 10% of Earth’s surface area.

“Nitrogen is essential for life but unusable by most organisms in its atmospheric form,” said Roley. “Through nitrogen fixation, specialized microbes convert nitrogen from the air into forms that plants and other organisms can use. This study shows that inland and coastal waters are doing much more of this work than we realized.”

Until now, most scientific estimates of global nitrogen fixation focused on terrestrial ecosystems and the open ocean. The new study helps fill a critical gap by quantifying nitrogen fixation in the aquatic environments in between, such as lakes, rivers, wetlands and coastal waters.

The findings suggest that current environmental models may need to be recalibrated. If nitrogen contributions from these systems are undercounted, forecasts for climate change, agriculture, and pollution risks may be off target.

“This research will help improve environmental models and predictions by giving us a more complete picture of where nitrogen is coming from,” Roley said. “Often, a lack of nitrogen limits algae and plant growth, especially in coastal ecosystems. These global nitrogen fixation estimates can help us better understand algal growth in freshwater and coastal ecosystems, which are clearly producing more of their own nitrogen than we previously understood.”

The research team was part of a Research Coordination Network called National Science Foundation. The team compiled 4,793 nitrogen fixation rate measurements from existing studies and synthesized the data during a workshop.

The research team compiled global nitrogen fixation data from water columns and sediments across hundreds of inland and coastal sites. Their analysis revealed that nitrogen fixation is widespread and varies widely by location, with some areas fixing orders of magnitude more nitrogen than others.

“Integration of inland and coastal aquatic ecosystems with global nitrogen estimates has been lacking for several reasons,” the authors write. “We anticipate that this study will motivate future research to improve detection techniques, expand monitoring across underrepresented climate zones, and better understand what drives nitrogen fixation in these environments.”

The study, titled , appears in the June 2025 issue of Science.

Students presented a range of research and course projects as part of the Washington State University Tri-Cities Showcase for Research and Creative Activities, on Wednesday.

The showcase gives students the opportunity to display and discuss the research and projects they have been working on and helps them practice skills they will use in their professional careers.

More than 45 projects were on display representing graduate and undergraduate students as well as the ���سԹ� Clean Energy Ambassadors Network (CEAN) teams.  CEAN incorporates student teams working with WSU faculty, industry mentors and their peers to research clean energy and climate related topics, potential impacts on disadvantaged populations and ways to share their findings with their community.

The following projects received awards:

• Best Capstone in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science
  Automated Toolbox Inventory Control System, Reem Osman, Steven Pixler, Caitlyn Powers, Navin Sabandith, Caleb Thomas

 

• Best Capstone in Mechanical or Civil Engineering
  Solar Powered Refrigeration System for Milk Transport, Josh Romero, Erick Martinez, Marcos Salas, Pascal Elsinghorst

 

• Best Creative Project
  The Cloud, Emily Sierra

 

• Best Undergraduate Project in Life, Biological, or Food Sciences
  Artificial light at night (ALAN) and bird-window collisions on the WSUTC campus, Nelly Pacheco

 

• Best Undergraduate Project in Physical, Computer, or Engineering Sciences
  Low-Power Cooling System Redesign, Jacob Getchell

 

• Best Graduate Project: (Tie)
  1. Effect of harvest time, alcohol concentration and maceration time on wine and grape phenolic composition and astringency perception – Juliana Pazos
  2. Comparison of Freeze-Killed versus Freeze-Dried Leaves for the Production of Frost Tainted Cabernet Sauvignon Wines – Mitchell Davey

 

CEAN Projects:

First Place – Flowing Forward: Innovations in Efficiency for Archimedes Screw Generators
Raul Aguilera-Vazquez, Edgar Bustamante-Angel, Leo Gomez & Noel Saldana
Industry Mentors: Gary Spanner, Adrianna Miller (1st Washington), Noel Schulz (WSU/PNNL)

Second Place – Clearing the Air: Exploring Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage in Eastern Washington
Student Ambassador Team: Sara Christensen, Elise Colson, Bailee Fehringer & Kalimae Mountain Industry Mentors: Todd Schaef (PNNL), David Heldebrant (PNNL), Jillian Cadwell (���سԹ�)

 Co-Third Place:

1. Powering the University, Empowering the Community: A Campus Microgrid for Renewable Energy Generation and Education
   Student Ambassador Team: Asmita Acharya, Laurren Nirider, Nur Syeda & Manuella Tossa, Dae Ya Wah
   Industry Mentors: Noel Schulz (WSU/PNNL)
2. Harnessing Energy Potential: Molten Salt
   Student Ambassador Team: Jordy Bautista, Jackie Figueroa, Rebecca Negrete-Ramos, Jose Vargas
   Industry Mentors: Tim Nies (Energy Northwest), Suh-Jane Lee (���سԹ�)

Judges for the Research and Creative projects included ���سԹ� faculty and The CEAN posters were judged by the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the ���سԹ� Entrepreneur in Residence/Innovation Lab.

Many project ideas come from local business partners such as Bechtel, and Washington River Protection Solutions who have problems they are attempting to solve or are looking for alternative or more cost-effective solutions. In some cases, the student’s work is adopted and implemented by the sponsoring company, giving students hands-on experience developing real-world solutions that make a difference.

By Seth Truscott

Collaborating with European scientists to develop ideas, fuels, and products that solve global environmental and energy challenges, Washington State University Professor Bin Yang is headed to Toulouse, France, as the newly announced recipient of the Fulbright-Tocqueville Distinguished Chair Award.

The award will fuel Yang’s work alongside colleagues at the Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, INSA Toulouse, expanding international partnerships for development of global decarbonization and biofuels and bioproducts production.

“I am grateful to the Fulbright Program for allowing me to expand on ideas and broaden ties between Washington state, the U.S., and France,” said Yang, a professor at WSU’s . “It’s a great honor to work with European leaders in technology and sustainability at Toulouse and other partner institutions.”

The six-month exchange begins in spring 2025 and builds on existing collaboration between Yang and scientists at Toulouse, part of the France’s ��(��������).

Working with European colleagues in the bioeconomy—economic areas embracing technologies like biomass to produce fuels and chemicals—Yang seeks to make advances in energy and sustainability while promoting WSU research to the international scientific community.

“Innovating together is the key to a better future for the world,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to develop a roadmap for the decarbonization of the bioeconomy between the United States and France, as well as the manufacture of products that serve the visions and goals of both countries.”

Yang’s laboratory at ���سԹ� focuses on development of renewable energy technologies, with an emphasis on production of biofuels and chemicals from cellulosic biomass: plant materials grown as crops or harvested as agricultural waste. He recently pioneered new pretreatment and manufacturing technologies to process biomass into jet fuel, bioplastics, carbon fiber, hydrogen carriers, and other bioproducts.

This is Yang’s second Fulbright Distinguished Chair award. In 2019, he traveled to Helsinki, Finland, as the first professor at WSU to be selected for the Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Energy and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Award.

“Bin Yang’s accomplishments have made him an international leader for development of the bioeconomy,” said Jean Marie François, professor of industrial microbiology and bio-nanotechnology and Yang’s host at Federal University Toulouse. “Recent awards recognize his pioneering contributions to the next generation biorefinery, sustainability, and green technologies that can overcome climate change. His upcoming visit is a great opportunity for students in our biochemical engineering and international master in bioeconomy programs and will significantly improve cooperation between our two institutions.”

The Fulbright Program awards distinguished chairs to renowned scholars set apart by significant experience and extensive publications in their fields. Yang is the first professor at WSU to receive the Fulbright-Tocqueville Distinguished Chair Award.

The most prestigious award offered by the Fulbright France bilateral program, this distinguished chair was created in 2005 to mark Senator J. William Fulbright’s centennial and Alexis de Tocqueville’s bicentennial. Funded by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research and the Fulbright Program, it reinforces collaborative research between France and the United States on topics of major significance for the future of both societies.

• Contact: Bin Yang, Professor, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, (509) 372-7640, bin.yang@wsu.edu

By Seth Truscott

Creating plant-based fuels that are easier on the environment and the pocketbook, Washington State University Professor Bin Yang makes a positive impact through chemical engineering.

Yang is now one of the newest Fellows of the  (AIChE), a professional society of more than 60,000 scientists in 110 countries. He will be honored at the institute’s , Nov. 5-10, 2023, at Orlando, Fla.

“I take nature as my inspiration,” said Yang, who works to understand and develop advanced biofuels and bioproducts from plant biomass—crops and plant residue used to create energy—while sharing knowledge and training the next generation of scientists.

“My ultimate goal is a real sustainability revolution,” he said. “I’m working to develop sustainable low-carbon fuels that reduce climate change.”

Fellow is the highest grade of membership in the institute, which fosters exchange on the frontiers of research in energy, sustainability, nanotechnology, and chemical plant safety and security. Fellows provide guidance and contribute to activities aiding development of safe and useful products for the benefit of society.

“I’m humbled and deeply grateful for this award,” said Yang, who thanked peers and colleagues who supported his nomination.

Involved with AIChE for the past 20 years, he has been a volunteer leader, organizing topical sessions and serving as a session chair. He is one of three WSU scientists to be named Fellows of the Institute. Yong Wang and Richard Zollars, faculty in the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, were previously named Fellows.

Developing new and sustainable fuels and products from biomass, Professor Bin Yang works with members of his lab at ���سԹ�.

Based at ���سԹ� for over a decade and a member of of the , Yang has pioneered new technologies to process biomass into jet fuel, bioplastics, carbon fiber, supercapacitors, hydrogen carriers, and other bioproducts.

“Biofuels and bioproducts play a crucial role in decarbonization efforts by promoting sustainable alternatives to fossil-based products and processes,” Yang said. “Innovation is key to achieving a sustainable future for the world.”

A member of the university’s Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory (BSEL), Yang also studies how microbes can produce a biodegradable plastic. He was a 2019 Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Energy and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources; holds six patents; has authored more than 135 papers and book chapters; and serves as an editorial and advisory board member for leading biorefinery journals.

Learn more about Yang’s work at his .

Washington State University Tri-Cities engineering professor Xiao Zhang has been honored as a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors.

The Academy recognizes senior members for their success in patents, licensing, and commercialization as well as for having produced technology that has, or will have, a significant impact on society. Zhang will be inducted formally at the Academy’s annual meeting in June in Washington, D.C.

Xiao Zhang
Professor, Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering

Zhang’s research centers around improving understanding of plant macromolecules, such as cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose. Zhang has led the development of a number of bio-based product innovations for industrial applications, including: a cellulose-based coating for plant protection, foam packaging technologies, and lignin-derived composites and chemicals. Two technologies developed with WSU colleagues were recently licensed to multibillion-dollar companies.

Some of Zhang’s patented innovations include plant-based compositions to protect plants from cold damage; cellulose foams for high-performance insulation; conversion of knot rejects from chemical pulping; and fractionation of a waste liquor stream from nanocrystalline cellulose production. He has collaborated with many industrial partners on the development of these new bio-based materials and co-founded a start-up company, Pomona Technologies. Zhang is a recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER AWARD and C. Howard Smith Award from Pulp and Paper Technical Association of Canada. He holds a joint appointment with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Energy and Environment Directorate and is part of ���سԹ�’ Bioproducts, Science, and Engineering Laboratory.

Story credit: WSU Insider:

RICHLAND, WA – Washington River Protection Solution’s (WRPS) and Washington State University (WSU) Tri-Cities have partnered to build a diverse workforce by establishing a robust cooperative work experience program (Co-Op Program) that will prepare students to be the next generation employees for WRPS. The collaboration provides both academic and professional opportunities for growth and development while helping selected students build the skills necessary for full-time employment with WRPS post-graduation. As part of the partnership, WRPS donated $250,000 to ���سԹ� to fund program costs.

Anna Plemons, associate vice chancellor academic and student affairs at ���سԹ� said, “I am very excited to see this program develop because, as a career-oriented campus, it is foundational to what we do. Many students choose ���سԹ� because they want to stay local to earn their degree. This program fits perfectly with that desire because it connects them with career experience and future job opportunities in our region.”

Up to 10 students, who have junior, senior or graduate status during the next academic year, will receive full-time summer employment and continue working part time during the school year in their chosen fields.

A ���سԹ� program coordinator and WRPS managers and mentors will closely monitor the development of co-op participants to ensure sufficient progress is taking place, both academically and professionally.

The 2022-2023 cohort consists of six students studying in the following academic programs: computer science (2), mechanical engineering (1), electrical engineering (1), civil engineering (1), and environmental and ecosystems sciences (1). All students will begin this summer and continue through at least one full academic year. Applications will open again so that all 10 spots can be filled.

Colby Morris, one of the students selected to participate in the 2022-2023 cohort says the best part about the program so far has been the opportunity to meet and interact with people who have years of experience in the field. “This internship has significantly increased my ability to see what real world coding is. Here I have had the ability to see what people are really programming and how I can apply it to my schooling,” he said.

Another student in the cohort, Omar De La Mora said, “This is making a great deal of a difference. Being able to gain real-world experience on what happens on a day-to-day basis changes your perspective on what to focus on during school.” He is looking forward to the flexibility the program allows him to have while attending ���سԹ�, as well as the possibility of a full-time position after graduation.

Additionally, two students not part of the cohort were offered full-time positions at WRPS. Both students are women of color who have, or will soon, wrap up their graduate programs in computer science and engineering and technology management.

To learn more about the WRPS/WSU Co-Op program contact Laura Sanchez, director of student services: laura.sanchez1@wsu.edu  (509) 372-7660

MEDIA CONTACT(S)

Leslie Streeter, Office of Marketing and Communication, (509) 372-7333, leslie.streeter@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University Tri-Cities celebrated the opening of its first fully state-funded academic building in over 30 years as part of a ribbon cutting celebration on Sept. 22.

The grand opening of Collaboration Hall featured remarks from university leaders, light refreshments and open tours of the building.

Hands-on, career-relevant learning

The building, which officially opened on the first day of fall classes this year, features a range of state-of-the-art science teaching laboratories, three large interactive classrooms, study and collaborative areas, an open atrium ideal for presentations and events, as well as an outdoor amphitheater that seats 100.

���سԹ� Chancellor Sandra Haynes said the building was designed and constructed with student success in mind.

“Being a STEM-focused campus, this building, complete with labs specific to the full array of science disciplines, will enhance students’ education, resulting in graduates even more prepared to meet the demands of the workforce,” she said. “At ���سԹ�, we partner with a range of companies and organizations that contribute to groundbreaking research, technology development and overall community growth. As signified in its name, this building will help further academic and industry collaboration and truly help prepare our students for future careers rooted in regional needs.”

The teaching laboratories featured in the building include:

• A physics laboratory
• Two biology laboratories
• A chemistry laboratory
• An anatomy and physiology laboratory
• An environmental science laboratory
• An innovation and design laboratory

Funded by state and local support

The construction of Collaboration Hall was made possible by $3 million in design funding and $27 million in construction funding from the Washington state Legislature.

In addition to state allocations, financial contributions have been made by university leadership by naming study, collaborative and learning spaces:

• WSU President Kirk Schulz and First Lady Noel Schulz | Noel and Kirk Schulz Academic Support Lounge
• ���سԹ� Chancellor Sandra Haynes | Sandra Haynes Collaboration Space in Honor of First-Generation Students
• WSU Regent Lura Powell and Art King | Lura Powell and Art King Lounge – Supporting First-Generation and Underserved Students and STEM

The following individuals and organizations also committed to naming seating on the grand staircase located in the atrium of Collaboration Hall. The naming of each step pays tribute to ���سԹ� students and the regional community:

• Washington River Protection Solutions | “Investing today for the challenges of tomorrow”
• Central Plateau Cleanup Company | “Building our future workforce step by step”
• Patrick and Tia Jensen | “In honor of first-generation students”
• Phil and Diane Ohl | Ohl Family Foundation | “We always find our way back home, Go Cougs!”

Haynes said the ���سԹ� campus community is incredibly grateful for the generous state, private and organizational support.

“It’s a stunning and functional space that, as a result of our state and community contributions, is one of the most valuable assets for our campus in fulfilling our educational mission,” she said.

Serving community needs

Collaboration Hall lives up to ���سԹ�’ historical roots. The Tri-Cities campus dates back to the 1940s when it began as the General Electric School of Nuclear Engineering to provide educational advancement to engineers and others working at the Hanford Nuclear Site amid the Manhattan Project. Collaboration Hall was constructed to provide an educational space that would prepare regional students for current and future regional, state and national needs.

Kirk and Noel Schulz, both engineers, said the building is a prime example of a facility that capitalizes on WSU’s land-grant mission of providing exceptional learning, research and community service.

“For a campus that thrives in providing excellent STEM education, Collaboration Hall at ���سԹ� is a fantastic place for students to learn, grow and excel, all in partnership with our regional industry,” Kirk Schulz said. “We want to thank the Washington state Legislature and the many individuals and organizations that made this facility a reality. It is a space where students will learn foundational and practical skills that will be applied to serve regional, state and national needs.”

For more information on Collaboration Hall, visit tricities.wsu.edu/collaborationhall.

Those interested in providing a gift or naming a space in the building should contact Jaime Heppler, ���سԹ� senior director of development, at 509-372-7207 or jaime.heppler@wsu.edu.

By Karen Hunt, WSU Office of Research

Washington State University joins the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the University of Washington in hosting a free two‑part virtual workshop on Friday, Sept. 17 to explore research collaboration and preview the new Energy Sciences Center (ESC).

“We’re excited to join PNNL and UW in this day‑long virtual event, which serves as a launching point for fostering collaborations between university staff and students and the scientific staff that will be housed in the ESC,” said Christopher Keane, vice chancellor for research in Pullman and vice president for research at WSU. “We encourage our professors, postdocs, and students to participate in this event.”

In part one of the workshop, PNNL will include a leadership kickoff, give an overview of ESC capabilities, showcase current collaborations, and have technical presentations by PNNL scientists on:

•  and chemical conversions
•  and phenomena for energy storage
• Materials and characterization for .

In the fall of 2021, the new $90 million ESC will open at PNNL. Research in the ESC will focus on fundamental studies of chemistry and materials for energy storage, as well as the development and characterization of materials for quantum information sciences. With capabilities that include advanced electron microscopy, x‑ray spectroscopy, and magnetic resonance instruments, the ESC will be one of the most advanced facilities in the world with the combination of experimental capabilities unavailable anywhere else in the country. The 140,000‑square‑foot facility will feature a combination of research laboratories, flexible-use open spaces, conference rooms, and offices for 250 PNNL researchers, visiting scientists and engineers, and support staff.

“The ESC will be a focal point for collaborative research among PNNL scientists, industry, and partners at the university, and other major institutions in the region, U.S., and abroad,” said Wendy Shaw, the chief science and technology officer in PNNL’s Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate. “Through these workshops, we are excited to work with the WSU faculty, researchers, and students to building collaborative pathways.”

Register for the eight‑hour workshop by going to .

A second workshop is being planned by PNNL and university partners to foster discussion and identify collaborations around the three topic areas.

For questions about the event, contact Wendy Shaw at wendy.shaw@pnnl.gov or 509‑375‑5922 for technical information and Becky Ford at bford@pnnl.gov or 509‑372‑4977 for logistical information.

By Karen Hunt, WSU Office of Research

Batteries developed by Shuo Feng could someday revolutionize the nation’s power grid and help electric vehicles go further on one charge than ever before.

Feng is one of five students who completed their doctorate program through the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Washington State University Distinguished Graduate Research Program (DGRP) in May.

The DGRP plays an important role in training the next generation of researchers and scholars and provides an important conduit for WSU students to work on a nationally relevant project central to PNNL’s mission, conducting fundamental science or applied research relevant to energy, earth systems or national security.

“I am working on developing high energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries which can be used in future power grids and electric vehicles,” said Feng. “During the last two years, our team at PNNL has thoroughly discussed the challenges in practical sulfur cathodes and elucidated the design principles of sulfur cathodes for practical applications. Our investigations on material synthesis, cathode porosity, and electrolyte permeability provided a basis for the next phase of lithium-sulfur battery research.”

The PNNL-WSU DGRP is designed to help doctorate students work collaboratively with faculty at WSU and scientists at PNNL. In this program, the students complete their course work and qualifying exam at WSU and then transfer to PNNL for the remainder of their research. This provides students the opportunity to leverage PNNL’s state-of-the-art research infrastructure and to work directly alongside their advisors and other collaborators at PNNL.

“The PNNL-WSU Distinguished Graduate Research Program is a unique opportunity that taps into the knowledge and world-class capabilities available at both institutions,” said Asaph Cousins, professor in the School of Biological Sciences and WSU DGRP program manager.

The DGRP plays an important role in training the next generation of researchers and scholars and provides an important conduit for WSU students to work on a national project central to PNNL’s mission.

“The DGRP sets students up for success in the next phase of their research career and beyond. The training and experience in a national laboratory setting allows these students to build on the knowledge from the classroom and learn how to tackle hard scientific questions and real-world technological challenges,” said Suresh Baskaran, director of research partnerships at PNNL.

Along with Feng, this year’s graduates are Xiaolu Li, Gowtham Kandaperumal, Benjamin Schuessler, and Monish Mukherjee, which is the largest group of DGRP students to graduate within a single semester.

“The DGRP offers a valuable opportunity to learn new technologies and communicate with scientists with different backgrounds in PNNL. It provided me with different angles to think about my research and dig deeper with cutting-edge technologies,” said Li. “The experience helped me to look into what I really want to do and plan the right career path for me.”

The program aligns WSU faculty and students with scientists and their research programs at PNNL to increase the number of STEM doctorate students at WSU who will then go on to work in universities, national laboratories and industry. The program matches students’ research interests with existing areas of collaboration between WSU and PNNL, such as nuclear science and engineering, electric power grid, bioproducts, catalysis, environment, water and soil science and engineering, and other emerging areas of collaboration.

“The opportunity presented by DGRP to work in a national laboratory setting has provided me with great exposure to the wide diversity of ongoing research projects at PNNL,” said Mukherjee. “This has immensely helped me envision relevant research problems and has prepared me for a career in research. Adapting to the research infrastructure at PNNL has also helped sharpen my skillset with analytical software tools and experimental facilities.”

The research topics for this graduating group of DGRP students cover a wide spectrum of topics: bioconversion of lignocellulose to lipids for the production of biodiesel, interface stereology in polycrystalline materials, development of high energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries, grid resiliency, and consumer participation in power systems via smart devices.

“My dissertation research focused on interface stereology in polycrystalline materials. In other words, extracting three-dimensional information from two-dimensional pictures. We developed a method of characterization that can assist in studying the performance behavior of a given material through another lens. While still in relative infancy, this project still has far reaching applications to materials and computational science with plenty of opportunity to explore and research further,” said Schuessler.

With real-world national laboratory experience, DGRP graduating students will start their early careers as scientists at PNNL and at other organizations, including those in industry.

“My next venture is working in the utility industry and bringing to the table my research specialization in the resiliency of distribution grids, analytics, and design. I am joining Commonwealth Edison as a senior engineer for the Chicago West region in the summer,” said Kandaperumal.

President and First Lady Schulz, Chancellor Haynes hope their investments will inspire others to support new building on Tri-Cities campus

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University President Kirk Schulz and First Lady Noel Schulz, and ���سԹ� Chancellor Sandra Haynes, are the first to donate for naming rights for the new state-of-the-art academic building currently being constructed at ���سԹ�. The building is on-schedule to open this fall.

Kirk and Noel Schulz committed $50,000 in funding to name the “Noel and Kirk Schulz Academic Support Lounge.” Haynes, a first-generation college graduate, donated $25,000 to name the “Sandra Haynes Collaboration Space in Honor of First-Generation Students.”

The state-funded academic building features eight science teaching laboratories, two large active learning classrooms, a large open-concept atrium ideal for presentations and events and a variety of study and collaborative areas. As a late addition to the exterior, the building will also house an outdoor amphitheater.

The WSU leaders hope their contributions will inspire others to follow in their footsteps and give to support the new building, which stands to prepare students for future careers in the sciences, health and medicine, engineering and other technical fields that are critical to the growing Tri-Cities region.

“Donating to this building is an investment in our students’ futures, and by doing so, contributing to the future of our region,” Haynes said. “I hope others will join us in contributing to this building.”

Noel and Kirk Schulz Academic Support Lounge

The Noel and Kirk Schulz Academic Support Lounge will provide greater access to academic and student support services and a dedicated beyond-the-classroom space for faculty and students to meet and collaborate.

“My wife, Dr. Schulz, is spending two weeks a month in the Tri-Cities working with ���سԹ�, working with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on the Advanced Grid Institute and helping the engineering program and the Tri-Cities grow and thrive,” Kirk Schulz said. “As the new building was coming up, we were talking to people about making investments and naming opportunities and Noel came home and said, ‘Hey, I think we should participate in this. Given what is taking place in the Tri-Cities, this would be a really opportune time.“

Kirk Schulz said the Tri-Cities is a hub for STEM education, with reputable expertise in energy, agriculture and environmental sciences. Earlier this year, ���سԹ� announced it would be launching a new institute centered on energy and the environment. The campus is also a part of three focusing on nuclear science and technology, advanced grid and bioproducts.

“We want to help take the building to the next level through our support of the faculty and student support lounge,” Noel Schulz said. “It’s really about all of us chipping in to make WSU, as a whole, better.”

Sandra Haynes Collaboration Space in Honor of First-Generation Students

Chancellor Sandra Haynes understands the significance of being the first in her family to go to college, like so many ���سԹ� students. More than 40% of ���سԹ� students are the first in their family to attend college.

Haynes said her investment and dedication of the collaboration space celebrates first-generation students and serves as a reminder that, on the other side of adversity, is success.

“It is so important to make sure that those students feel very supported throughout their college careers,” Haynes said. “They are taking a leap of faith and they are doing something that no one in their family has done, before. I’m contributing to this building because I want our students to be able to learn in a state-of-the-art facility with state-of-the-art equipment. It feels great to be giving back to the campus that has given so much.”

Haynes said the new building will be significant in growing the campus’ STEM-focused programs and curriculum, which stand to benefit regional industry.

“The industries in this region are highly STEM-focused,” she said. “This building will benefit regional industry by providing well-prepared graduates in these fields and welcoming regional companies and organizations in for shared experiences ranging from presentations, to partnerships for projects and more.”

Naming opportunities and other support

Mike Connell, acting vice president and CEO of the , said when WSU leaders choose to make personal investments in the future of the university, they are truly leading by example.

“The most recent investments by the Schulzes and Chancellor Haynes will open doors for students at ���سԹ� while inspiring others to join their lead in adding to WSU’s already world-class student experience,” he said.

For more information on the new ���سԹ� academic building and naming opportunities, contact Jaime Heppler at Jaime.heppler@wsu.edu or by phone at 817-243-6019.

For more information about the new ���سԹ� academic building and to access a virtual tour. visit tricities.wsu.edu/academic-building.

 

Media contacts:

Jaime Heppler, ���سԹ� senior director of development, 817-243-6019 (cell), Jaime.heppler@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, ���سԹ� director of marketing and communication, 619-403-3617 (cell), maegan_murray@wsu.edu