We have a commitment to involving our students in a first-rate research experience. That’s why you’ll find everything you need in our state-of-the-art facilities. Our corner of the universe is filled with research laboratories, computer labs and multimedia classrooms. In fact, you’ll find that our facilities rival many of the nation’s leading research institutions.
Our department is located in the Charles H. Townes Science Center. Sound familiar? It should because the building is named after Charles Townes, a Furman graduate and Nobel Prize winner whose work led to the development of the laser.
The Townes Science Center is the perfect example of Furman’s hands-on, interactive learning philosophy. This state-of-the-art building provides access to an impressive array of research laboratories, computer labs, science libraries and multimedia classrooms. Even better, it has the type of amenities and gadgets that you’d be hard pressed to find in other undergraduate programs, such as a nuclear magnetic resonance lab and three optics labs.
Dedicated in 2008, this $62.5 million facility houses all of the science departments at Furman. You’ll find cutting-edge research happening throughout this 200,000-square foot building.
Try to find a university that has a planetarium inside a classroom and you’ll find Furman on a very short list.
With a 24-foot diameter and a high definition system, our planetarium is a virtual reality simulator that brings the galaxy to you. This cutting-edge facility allows our renowned faculty to shed light on the origins of the universe, and pinpoint planets that have favorable conditions to support life. You’ll be able to view the solar system from multiple angles and examine images generated by the Hubble Space Telescope. Frankly, we don’t think there is a bad seat in the house.
Whether you’re visiting our off-campus observatory or utilizing one of our telescopes in Townes Science Center, we can transform the night sky into your classroom.
Ever wanted to get your hands on a Raman spectroscopy system? How about a laser speckle imaging system or a Doppler system? Those are some of the tools you can research with in our optics labs.
Our students have tested materials for use in fiber optics communications, measured blood flow in frogs’ feet, and investigated how rare earth elements can enhance transmission in our labs. Not only do our students publish their work, but they also gain the lab skills they need for graduate school, medical school, or a career.
And sometimes it’s the optics equipment itself that’s the research project. Our Raman and Doppler systems were erected and calibrated by our students and faculty as a summer research project.
Student workshop is a dedicated lab space for students to use 3-D printers, power tools and learn other life skills to create and improve current products. Projects in this space can be research, individual or course related. This is also the home of the Furman University Engineering Club.