ECSU STEM Complex Grand Opening to Be Held Aug. 12

The former Pharmacy Complex is now the STEM Complex, home to various programs and departments such as aviation and emergency management. A grand opening on the STEM Complex will be held Monday, Aug. 12 at 4 p.m. The public is invited.

Elizabeth City State University continues to look forward to a bright future as it celebrates the opening of the new STEM Complex on Monday, Aug. 12, at 4 p.m., and the public is invited to explore a facility that celebrates the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Formerly the ECSU Pharmacy Complex, the new STEM Complex will house two university departments: the Department of Aviation and Emergency Management, and the Department of Health and Human Studies.  Dr. Farrah Ward, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, has been working collaboratively with Chancellor Karrie Dixon and her team to make this move a reality.

“We are excited to offer faculty and students a space to collaborate and build a foundation for innovative research and interdisciplinary activities,” said Provost Ward. “The two departments in this facility provide a rich environment for understanding human-technology interactions and the socio-technological landscape.”

The Department of Aviation and Emergency Management will be housed on the second floor of the STEM Complex and the Department of Health and Human Studies will be located on the third floor. The complex will initially house four academic programs, including Aviation Science, Pharmaceutical Science, Social Work, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Psychology and Emergency Management will be housed in the STEM Complex in the future.

Although Kinesiology will not physically move to the STEM Complex, they will join the Department of Health and Human Studies beginning Fall 2019 and remain in the R.L. Vaughan Center.

The new complex will feature aviation labs, including drone and air traffic control labs, on the second floor, while the flight simulator lab will be housed on the first floor, according to Dr. Kuldeep Rawat, dean of the School of Science, Aviation, Health, and Technology.  The third floor will feature faculty research labs, IV simulations and compounding labs.

Provost Ward said she is extremely proud of the collaboration between ECSU and the UNC Morehead Planetarium that resulted in the acquisition of a 17-panel display of the historical timeline of the history of African Americans in flight.  Installation of the panels is through the generous donation from ECSU alumnus, Dr. Ulysses Bell.

In addition to the 17-panel display, 74 portraits of the pioneers of flight have been loaned to the university by the First Flight Society for display, 10 of which will be on display in the STEM Complex with the other 64 being displayed across campus.

Also donated to ECSU for display is a gas-powered remote plane designed in university colors, featuring a Viking logo on the tail.  Mr. Bob Seller, a local aviation enthusiast, constructed and donated the plane.

Greeting visitors at the complex entrance will be a one-tenth scale model of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, permanently mounted outside the building.

The August 12 grand opening will feature a walking tour and greetings from ECSU Chancellor Karrie Dixon, Provost Farrah Ward, Dean Kuldeep Rawat, and Dr. Ulysses Bell.