The 黑料老司机 today broke ground on a $231.1-million Chemical Sciences Building. Once completed, the state-of-the-art facility will be a nexus for collaborative research and teaching that will help the UW define the next 100 years of science education and breakthroughs.

Recognized worldwide, the UW鈥檚 Department of Chemistry is one of the largest in the country, and faculty are leaders in the field. The new Chemical Science Building will provide research synergies and dynamic, active learning spaces.

鈥淭he Chemical Sciences Building will be more than a new facility. It is an investment in the students, faculty and researchers whose curiosity and collaboration drive discovery. We are deeply grateful to the donors, state leaders and supporters who are making this investment possible,鈥� said UW President Robert J. Jones. 鈥淭he work that happens here will help advance science, strengthen our state and improve lives for generations to come.鈥�

The Chemical Sciences Building opens additional pathways for workforce development, industry collaboration and academic excellence in Washington. Updating facilities also helps the UW attract and retain top-notch students and scientists, further fueling the state鈥檚 economy and renown.

鈥淲ashington鈥檚 economy is built on innovation,鈥� Gov. Bob Ferguson said. 鈥淢aintaining our leadership requires a reliable pipeline of skilled, highly educated workers. We鈥檙e proud to be an investor in this state-of-the-art new building. It鈥檚 an investment in our students, and Washington鈥檚 economic vitality.鈥�

Funding for the project is led by the State of Washington, the College of Arts & Sciences and private support. The 104,500-square foot, five-story building will be constructed on the former site of the Chemistry Library Building behind the Molecular Engineering and Nanoengineering buildings on West Stevens Way NE. New classrooms and laboratories in the Chemistry Sciences Building will allow the UW to complete a renovation and update of Bagley Hall, the 1937 structure that鈥檚 long housed the Department of Chemistry.

鈥淭his new building will be a catalyst for both the Department of Chemistry鈥檚 and the College鈥檚 collaborative work that addresses some of the most pressing and complex challenges of our time,” said Daryl Maeda, the Katherine and John Simpson Endowed Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. 鈥淩esearchers will push the boundaries of chemistry further than ever before, partnering with students in spaces designed for creativity and connection. Our students will benefit from a world-class education and research opportunities that set them up for success and impact after graduation.鈥�

The Chemical Sciences Building will:

• Expand student opportunity by providing hands-on research labs and connecting classroom learning with scientific discovery. Students will work alongside faculty, gain experience with modern tools and prepare for high-demand careers across Washington and beyond.
• Enhance collaboration by bringing research groups together and giving them the newest and best tools to do their jobs, spark new ideas and accelerate solutions.
• Create paths to discovery. Flexible, state-of-the-art laboratories will remove barriers posed by aging facilities and support work in sustainable chemistry, human health, advanced materials, quantum science and more.

The design-build team is Skanska and Payette+EHDD. Completion is scheduled for 2029.

For more information, contact Lance Kissler at lkissler@uw.edu.

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Maeda also was appointed a professor of American ethnic studies. He succeeds Dianne Harris, who will complete her service this year.

Maeda has previously served as the dean of the University of Colorado Boulder College of Arts and Sciences where he also was a professor of ethnic studies. He is an interdisciplinary cultural historian and is a nationally recognized scholar in Asian American studies and comparative ethnic studies.

鈥淒r. Maeda brings a wealth of experience to all aspects of the role of Katherine and John Simpson Endowed Dean for the College of Arts & Sciences, including a deep commitment to shared governance,鈥� Serio said. 鈥淭hroughout the selection process, Dr. Maeda repeatedly elevated the broad strengths of the College of Arts & Sciences, and the students, staff and faculty who define them, as foundational to leading the path forward through a framework of opportunity for all.鈥�

Since joining CU Boulder as an assistant professor in 2005, Maeda has served as chair of the Department of Ethnic Studies, associate dean for student success in the College of Arts and Sciences, and dean and vice provost of undergraduate education. Maeda served as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences since June 2024 until he was appointed dean earlier this year. He is returning to the UW where he was an acting assistant professor in the Department of History from 2001 to 2002.

鈥淚 am deeply honored to serve the College of Arts & Sciences and grateful for the opportunity to partner with its exceptional faculty, students and staff,鈥� Maeda said. 鈥淭ogether, we will build on the college鈥檚 distinguished tradition of discovery, creativity and public impact while advancing an inclusive and inspiring vision for the future.鈥�

The College of Arts and Sciences at CU Boulder has 1,300 faculty members and 400 staff members. The college also has approximately 15,000 undergraduates in 49 majors and more than 2,000 graduate students in 36 doctoral programs and 35 master鈥檚 programs. As dean, Maeda managed an annual budget of more than $250 million and led a collaborative process that created the college鈥檚 budget allocation model. Under his leadership, the college established new records for first-year retention and six-year graduation rates and set a record for highest annual fundraising in the college鈥檚 history.

Maeda has published two books and numerous articles and book chapters on Asian American activism in the 1960s and 1970s. His most recent book, a cultural history of the iconic martial artist and actor 鈥� and former UW student 鈥� Bruce Lee, was published in 2022.

Maeda earned his doctoral and master鈥檚 degrees in American culture from the University of Michigan. He also holds a master鈥檚 in ethnic studies from San Francisco State University and a bachelor鈥檚 in mathematics from Harvey Mudd College.

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