KOSC Faculty Quotes

Irvin Levy
Professor of Chemistry and Computer Science
It's such an advance over the place we were in before in terms of doing research. The building was minimal. Walking into this space it's like going into a large university that does things right. We now have the facilities to inspire students and faculty to do things right.

I have students working with me in green chemistry. Before they did work in the class labs so they had to constantly set up and take down their research when a class was coming in. They would lose data having to take two steps forward and then one step back.  Now we have a dedicated space for those students to work. Currently, the students working in green chemistry are patterning their experiments after a group of Chinese scientists trying to find less hazardous ways of doing oxidation chemistry. We're hoping that they'll be able to collect enough data to publish the results and present their findings. Because we can work in a more timely way, the likelihood of getting results is more probable.

One of the first things we purchased for the KOSC was an FTIR, which is an analytical tool used to determine what you've got when you've done a chemical reaction. It gives results in 5 seconds. The FTIR in Emery was from the 1980's and took 20 minutes to get results.

For science students the KOSC really shows that the college takes them seriously. Before they were off in a dungeon, now they're in the heart of the campus.
 

Ming Zheng
Biology Professor, chair
As far as teaching goes, I have space in the lab to both lecture and do demonstrations. All of the labs have the technology and seating to be classrooms as well as labs. This allows for students to make better connections between an abstract idea and a hands on experience. It enhances students understanding of the processes.

I've been dreaming about having a fluorescent microscope for research and educational purposes, we finally have one. It is used to trace individual cells, tracking their growth and development.

The scanning electromicroscope is used to study the surface structure of something like pollen or seeds. It gives a three dimensional structure of plant anatomy, or animal tissue. These things create more excitement about God's creation in terms of biological structure. Students are enabled to study and examine more in depth.

Now we can better prepare students for the world after Gordon. The KOSC has a great impact on the quality of student's education. We can do so much more with the space and new equipment. We now have equipment that we didn't have before because we didn't have the space to house it, like a fluorescent microscope or a scanning electromicroscope. The KOSC has definitely enhanced our teaching capabilities.
 

Emily Jarvis
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
It is really helpful to have dedicated research space as well as modern instructional labs that will enable more effective lab experiences. In perhaps a less tangible way, I think the beauty and central location of the KOSC will be a great thing for Gordon and students studying the sciences at a Christian college. It displays the study of the natural world as being an integral part of our academic commitment here at Gordon. It is great for students in the majors of the Natural Science Division to see that their chosen area of focus is embraced by the campus at large--not always an easy task at small liberal arts campuses. Likewise, it is helpful for the non-majors to see the sciences as a part of their Gordon experience and not at odds with their other studies or beliefs.
 

Dwight Tshudy
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Through the Ken Olsen Science Center, we now have the ability to make science an important part of the community because it is so visible on campus. Students who may not have thought about it before can now see it.
 

Greg Keller
Associate Professor of Biology
It's important that a college has a strong emphasis in science. The science center makes Gordon grads more competitive when they enter graduate school or medical school and will also be used for gatherings that draw the public. The museum of natural history will be housed here; hopefully that will be of interest to students in the local community.