For many of us, Research Park wasn’t just an address; it was a way of life. A quiet, contemplative ecosystem where experiments thrived, ideas matured, and it was entirely possible to go an entire day without accidentally running into an undergraduate. Leaving after 30 years was always going to be bittersweet, but science, like tectonic plates, is never static.
Being on campus marks a shift toward a more connected, collaborative future. At the end of the day, proximity matters. Engineers, scientists, students, and collaborators are now just down the hall (or at least a short walk), making spontaneous conversations, interdisciplinary problem-solving, and shared caffeine sources far more likely. The hope is simple: more collisions of ideas, fewer excuses for “we should really meet sometime.”
Of course, none of this came easily.
While offices are finding their new rhythms, the labs are still very much in the process of moving, a careful, phased operation involving sensitive equipment, precise logistics, and a healthy respect for things labeled “FRAGILE,” “DO NOT TILT,” or “WHY DO WE HAVE THIS?” The move itself was, and continues to be, a massive undertaking.
A huge shout-out goes to Baileys Movers, who have been nothing short of amazing. Calm under pressure, endlessly patient (including moving Denis the Cactus), and seemingly immune to the collective anxiety of scientists and engineers watching decades of research get wheeled down hallways, they have been absolute pros throughout.
Many staff members have contributed time, energy, and heroic levels of adaptability to make this transition happen, but special recognition goes to Carol and Rob, our Grand Marshals of the Great Relocation. Equal parts logistics masterminds, morale officers, and institutional memory, they kept the move progressing when the rest of us were still negotiating with our filing cabinets.
There are still boxes to unpack, labs to calibrate, and many cups of coffee to share with our new friends on campus, but we are firmly on our way.
After 30 years in Research Park, this move feels less like a relocation and more like a transformation. Welcome to INSCC; the next chapter is officially underway, boxes, bubble-wrap, and all.
