On Aug. 26, the annex at the north end of the Eyring Science Center was officially opened to the community.
The addition includes new labs and incredible machinery that will enhance BYU’s research capabilities. In addition to providing advancements for researchers, the tools will also give undergraduate students from a wide selection of science departments priceless opportunities to gain experience operating the instruments.
“We’re very, very fortunate to have this building and a (new) place for education,” Monte Marshall, assistant dean of the College of Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, said.
Short walking tours were held to introduce the community to the building. As faculty led guests from the academic community through the halls, it was clear that the groups were impressed with what they saw.
The flagship area guests admired was the electron microscopy lab, where cryogenic transmission and analytical transmission microscopes had been added to the university’s existing armada.
These $14 million machines will support research with opportunities to better observe biological matter and determine the structure of materials.
Jaden Anderson, a biochemistry student considering pursuing a medical track, commented on the value the microscopes will bring to campus.
“They’re going to benefit the future medical school, they’re going to benefit our chemistry program,” he said. “It’s going to be super awesome.”
Also showcased on the tour was an area for studying atoms. Lasers are used to cool them to near absolute zero, where they almost stop moving entirely.
These ultracold atoms can then be studied better than if they were moving.
Lastly, tour guides directed guests to a lab that explores “sound-focusing.” In other words, concentrating sound in one spot.
As a demonstration, guests were invited to step into a small room covered in white panels. A heavy door was then shut, and a low-frequency sound was played.
As they moved about, many were shocked to find that the sound was loud near the corners, but nearly inaudible at the room’s center.
BYU researchers are exploring applications of this technology, which include surgery-free kidney stone disintegration via intense sound waves and "ultrasonic testing,” or using sound waves for defect detection in machinery such as airplanes.
These laboratories were just a sneak peek at the extensive and impactful work that will be occurring in the annex.
“We have some faculty here, including our Dean, who are some of the top researchers in the world,” Marshall said. "The (machines) will allow us to do phenomenal research. Very few organizations have that kind of technology.”
Beyond research projects, they will play a part in advancing the education of students at a level which can only be found at BYU.
Felipe Rivera, assistant research professor in the physics and astronomy department, is in charge of maintaining the microscopes and training students to use them. He emphasized the rarity of that opportunity.
“You can probably guess, these are very expensive instruments," he said. "Almost every other institution that has these instruments, they’re very scared of having people come and run them.”
Rivera remarked that “BYU is different.” With a smile, he added that “(the staff) can run the microscopes, but we already know how to do it.”
He and the other faculty are convinced that giving undergraduates exposure to the machines is just as valuable as what the machines themselves can achieve.
That’s why, as Marshall explained, priority to use them will be given to professors with undergraduates on their research team.
“I certainly appreciate BYU. BYU is unique in that they provide so much (for students),” Anderson said when considering the opportunities he will have to use the technology.
As overseen by Rivera, the microscopes will be incorporated into research projects going forward. With the annex’s opening, as well as future projects like the BYU Medical School in place, the university will rise even higher in the scientific community.
Information about microscope training can be found here.