Terraka Garner
Freelance Writer
Inside the Gale Life Sciences building at Idaho State University, plans are being made to provide a refurbished and modernized cadaver lab.
“This project will help with the disbursement of fumes,” said Doug Simpson, a campus architect and project manager.
The lab on the Pocatello campus was the first cadaver lab throughout all of the different ISU campuses.
“We are expanding to Meridian and we have a new lab there. The labs need to have equal functions since [the ISU campuses] are all tied together,” said Director of Engineering, Planning and Environment Cheryl Hanson.
The overall goal of this renovation is reportedly to allow students to develop skills that are needed within their chosen profession.
According to Hanson, the only way to bring forth useful knowledge and to make the students in these programs want to stay, is to deliver present-day proficiency in students’ chosen fields. Hanson said to do that, more recent appliances and décor are needed.
The project will include a complete gut and remodel featuring all new floors, ceilings, lights, scrub sinks, cabinets, cold storage, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and an expansion of space within the building.
The new cadaver lab will benefit a variety of class sections such as students taking anatomy and physiology or biology, health professions students or physician’s assistant studies students.
The total construction cost of this project totals $880,000, which is reportedly being funded by the state.
Based on the lowest bid offer, CR Clarke and Co. was awarded the contract. The architects will be Myers-Anderson Architects.
“The upgrades will help with student recruitment and retention,” said Simpson. “The existing lab is extremely old and outdated. It doesn’t function the way [students] need it to function. This will be able to sell students on the university.”
Simpson has been working as an architect for nine years but has only recently been working as an architect in the academic field. He has been working with ISU for a year and a half.
Hanson has been with ISU since the year 2000. She taught for 10 years before transitioning into a position as the campus architect.
Both Simpson and Hanson aspire to make the Pocatello campus of ISU aesthetically pleasing and functional to students and faculty.
