Ashland on a Tour: Kettering Science Center

The Kettering Science Center is designed around the guiding theme “Science in Sight,” making discovery visible and accessible throughout the building. The open lobby provides a welcoming space for students to gather and collaborate and is used for luncheons, picnics and end-of-year celebrations. Three private study rooms offer quiet areas for focused work and small-group study.

Throughout the first and second floors, interactive displays highlight geological, biological and archaeological artifacts while supporting hands-on learning. These levels include multiple classrooms and a lecture hall, geology collection and sample preparation rooms, a geology teaching lab, a spacious greenhouse and dedicated areas for biology and chemistry research. Students also learn in physics and computer science spaces, including physics labs, a laser lab, and a microscopy lab, all designed to keep science in clear view.

The upper floors showcase advanced teaching and research spaces, including chemistry and biology teaching labs, faculty and undergraduate research labs and a state-of-the-art instrumentation lab. With nearly $2 million in professional-grade equipment for chemistry, geology and physics, students gain extensive hands-on experience with the tools used in modern research and industry. This level of access prepares graduates to impress employers with both their technical knowledge and real-world laboratory skills.