Building a Research Support Hub at the MacLeish Field Station

This project supports the construction of a Research Support Hub (RSH) at the MacLeish Field Station to enhance the research productivity and pedagogical reach. The RSH will modernize station infrastructure to support novel biological research and expand experiential learning opportunities. The project will transform an existing concrete block structure into a climate-controlled workshop and fabrication space and build a non-heated facility for weather-protected project staging and the storage of bulky field equipment. The renovated space provides a dedicated environment for the assembly of research materials, processing of environmental samples, and the maintenance of sensitive instrumentation, including weather sensors and drones. To support large-scale landscape management, the new construction will house heavy equipment to enhance field access and researcher safety. This project upgrades the station’s capacity to a national standard, thereby advancing national goals for scientific leadership and technical education. This project aligns with the NSF’s biotechnology priority area. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2533962 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Paul Wetzel | Institution: Smith College, NORTHAMPTON, MA | Award Amount: $649,936 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2533962 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2533962.html