Northern Kentucky University will break ground this week on an $86 million expansion of the Dorothy Westerman Herrmann Science Center at the Highland Heights campus.
The project will add an 85,400-square-foot addition to the existing science center, allowing several academic programs to consolidate their spaces into one STEM-focused facility.
Funding for the addition comes from a $79.9 million capital investment approved by the Kentucky General Assembly in the 2022-2024 biennial budget and $6 million in asset preservation funds provided by the 2022 General Assembly. Completion of the project is projected for spring 2027.
The expansion, according to a press release from the university, will enable NKU to significantly enhance its lab and student research space in departments that include biological sciences and engineering technology. The project also involves renovating 19,000 square feet of the existing science center to update collaborative learning spaces.
“This expansion marks a significant milestone for the university,” NKU President Cady Short-Thompson said in the release. “The new facility will provide our natural sciences and engineering technology programs with a competitive edge, supporting our growing enrollment in these critical fields while allowing us to continue to provide an accessible and high-quality education for all.”
Student demand for STEM-centered programs has increased by 50% since the original Herrmann Science Center opened in 2002, according to the release. Expansion of the center will support growing enrollments in these programs and increase external research funding in STEM fields, boosting the university’s teaching and research capacity.
Additionally, the university said it hopes that the center’s proximity to the Norse Network Hub will foster expanded partnerships with the region’s life sciences and advanced manufacturing industries, providing students with internships, co-ops and other hands-on learning opportunities.
The university will hold a groundbreaking on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 11 a.m. at The Dorothy Westerman Herrmann Science Center.