Georgia State opens new science center

Georgia State unveiled the newest addition to its downtown takeover this year. Rubbing elbows with the sports arena and the recreation center, the Parker H. Petit Science Center was dedicated on March 29.

Located at the intersection of Decatur Street and Piedmont Ave., the new edifice is the most recent building added to the Georgia State community. The past school year has also seen the development of a freshman dormitory and Greek housing, both built with the goal of a more traditional campus experience. Georgia State officials are hopeful that the new Petit Science Center will attract new researchers to the university and advance the research already underway.

The newest building was named after Parker H. "Pete" Petit, an alumnus of the university. Petit received his master's degree in business administration from Georgia State in 1973. Today, he is the chairman and chief executive of MiMedx Group, Inc., an organization that develops and manufactures biomaterial-based products. 

"I feel very grateful about what was made available to me, and I also feel strongly about giving back. I hope that the facility is going to fill a very key role in Georgia State's future," Petit told University Relations.

The state-of-the-art science center boasts an impressive size of 350,000 square feet and contains classrooms, offices and laboratories. The 10-story building includes department-specific laboratories and over 30 classrooms. The center will also be a place of research and the home of educational programs in biology, chemistry, nursing, nutrition, physical and respiratory therapies and neuroscience.

With a student body as large as Georgia State's, the construction of the Petit Science Center may help alleviate the traffic congestions of other classroom buildings. Over 2,000 students are expected to pass through the latest building when it opens.