Board approves planning $35M for FRIB construction projects

The Michigan State University Board of Trustees approved the university to begin planning for new construction adding to the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, or FRIB.         

With civil construction of the FRIB project substantially complete, the focus at FRIB is now the installation of technical equipment. The two building projects approved for planning include the addition of space for a new large-scale detector as well as areas for isotope harvesting and an assembly area for equipment operating hundreds of degrees below zero.

The estimated cost is nearly $35 million and will be paid by MSU’s general fund. Input from the campus community will be solicited during the planning process.

“We are grateful the board has authorized planning for these building additions that will house research equipment beyond the original FRIB scope and bolster MSU’s nuclear-science research program by expanding FRIB’s discovery potential and enabling isotope harvesting,” said Thomas Glasmacher, FRIB Laboratory director. “The projects underscore MSU’s commitment to operating the world’s most powerful rare isotope accelerator, enabling scientists to make discoveries that will lead to breakthroughs in nuclear science and applications benefiting society.”

FRIB is a $730 million scientific user facility supporting the mission of the Office of Nuclear Physics in the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, or DOE-SC. It is funded by the DOE-SC, MSU and the State of Michigan. The heart of FRIB is a state-of-the-art 400 kW superconducting linear accelerator.           

Other board activity included:  

• Approval of $11 million to extend Wilson Road to intersect with Hagadorn Road, funded in part by grants from the Michigan Department of Transportation.
• Exploration of a proposed $3.8 million project to renovate the teaching laboratory in the Food Science Building.
• Approval of planning updates to the Cowles House, built in 1857, for access to people with disabilities as well as approval of restoration construction at Cook Hall, built in 1889.          

Board members also presented 11 awards for academic achievement, approved several endowments and scholarships, and received the gifts, grants and contracts report.   

The next board meeting will be Feb. 16.