Expansion, Renovations to Fuel Advances in Research, Education, Economic Development
Image by Tory Wesnofske
04/26/2019
Contacts for media: Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu and Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu
LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell today celebrated the reopening of one of its most important research and academic buildings, Perry Hall, after more than 18 months and a $50 million makeover.
Perry Hall is now home to academics, research and industry partnerships in fields including biomedical, chemical and environmental engineering, as well as biomanufacturing and clean energy.
“Perry Hall has been transformed into a cutting-edge, modern facility that will be used to advance important research by our faculty, enhance the educational experience of our students and strengthen our ties with industry across the state,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney.
Today’s opening celebration was attended by more than 200 people, including UMass President Marty Meehan, UMass Board of Trustees Chairman Robert Manning, UMass Trustee Mary Burns, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center President and CEO Travis McCready, Lowell Mayor William Samaras and state Rep. Tom Golden, industry partners and UMass Lowell alumni, students, faculty and staff.
Meehan praised UMass Lowell for turning Perry Hall into a state-of-the-art facility while still respecting its history, which goes back nearly 70 years, all with the goal of helping students succeed. “We have a history here, a culture in Lowell that is critically important,” he said. “This university is committed to excellence.”
Support for the project includes a $5 million grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) to the university’s Massachusetts BioManufacturing Center, which is based at Perry Hall. This is the latest example of MLSC’s support for UMass Lowell initiatives, beneficiaries of which also include the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) and student scholarships and internships.
“Perry Hall exemplifies the interdisciplinary approach required to match the life sciences industry’s burgeoning need for convergent thinking leaders trained in engineering and the biological sciences,” said McCready. “With this investment, the center and UMass Lowell embrace a critical global role in educating a workforce with the skills, research capabilities and industry experiences to bring the next generation of therapies and medical technologies to market.”
The Perry Hall project represents a total reconstruction of the interior of the building’s existing 47,825 square feet, plus the addition of 5,600 square feet and a connection between the top floor and an adjacent academic building. There is a new main entrance and exterior, as well as classrooms; labs for teaching and research in biomedical, chemical and environmental engineering, biomanufacturing and clean energy; and space to support expanding industry partnerships.
Perry Hall is named for alumnus Barry Perry ’68, who has provided significant support for research, academics, scholarships and collaboration with industry both within the building that carries his name and elsewhere at UMass Lowell. Perry earned a degree in plastics engineering at the university and went on to a successful career with companies including General Electric and Engelhard Corp., from which he retired as chairman and CEO in 2006. In 2015, UMass Lowell presented Perry with an honorary doctoral degree in recognition of his achievements and efforts on behalf of the university.
“UMass Lowell provided us with a solid foundation for the challenges and opportunities of our work life. We hope that we can help current students with the same opportunity,” said Perry, who was joined at the event by his wife, Janice, and daughter, Kristen.
Additional support for Perry Hall was provided by industry partners – including LEWA for the Massachusetts BioManufacturing Center and Foster Corp. and Superior Controls for teaching labs – and alumni donors including Lawrence Acquarulo Jr. and Richard Pierro Jr.
Perry Hall is located in the heart of UMass Lowell’s North Campus, the center of the university’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and research.
“The modernization of Perry Hall has created a dynamic, state-of-the art setting for academic research and teaching that will benefit our students and faculty, as well as the Commonwealth through advances in critical areas that include biomanufacturing, biomedical engineering, and clean energy,” said Joseph Hartman, dean of the Francis College of Engineering.
Also among those at the event was Christopher Souza, a plastics engineering major from Billerica who is a recipient of a Perry Family Scholarship. Souza thanked the Perrys, along with all those at the university associated with the project, noting how he and his fellow students spend hours in the engineering labs and “how important these lab spaces are to students in getting their degrees and making an impact.”
The project was conducted in partnership with the UMass Building Authority, managed by STV, the architect was Perkins + Will and the contractor was Suffolk Construction.
UMass Lowell is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its more than 18,000 students bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs, vigorous hands-on learning and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be leaders in their communities and around the globe. www.uml.edu