SciTech Grand Opening

The Future of STEM is Here!

UWRF Chancellor John Chenoweth is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of our new Science and Technology Innovation Center (SciTech). Join us Tuesday, March 31, on the campus of UW-River Falls to celebrate this milestone occasion.

Made possible with the support of the UW Board of Regents, the State of Wisconsin and our generous donors, SciTech represents a new era for our campus. This transformational building is designed to inspire innovation, advance our mission and strengthen our ties to the regional business community. Please join our key partners and stakeholders as we celebrate this historic milestone in the university's history!

 
Grand Opening Events

SciTech Open House, 4-6 p.m.:

  • Self-paced exploration of the building with designated stops for guests. 

  • Faculty and students will be stationed throughout the building to guide you and answer questions. 

  • Interactive displays. 

  • Refreshments available. 

  • Complimentary parking from 4-6 p.m. in PAY 1 (across the street from SciTech). Space is limited. 

For more information on the Grand Opening events, email events@uwrf.edu. 

SE View of SciTech with greenhouse
SE View of SciTech with patio space
Two female and one male student walk to their classroom in SciTech on the first day of classes
A male student sits in a SciTech commons space on their laptop

  
What’s in a Number? SciTech Fun Facts 

  • 136,000 square feet (building size) 

  • 11,245 cubic yards of concrete (equal to 50 million pounds or 1,125 truckloads of concrete) 

  • 2 million pounds of rebar installed (equal to the weight of 465 cars) 

  • 47,000 concrete blocks 

  • 80,000 exterior bricks 

  • 100,000 lineal feet of plumbing pipe (equal to 19 miles) 

  • 20,000 lineal feet of electrical piping (equal to more than three miles) 

NW View of SciTech from Cascade Ave
A student admissions tour guide leads a group past SciTech.

About the Space 

  • 32 undergraduate research spaces  

  • 12 instructional labs

  • Peer-learning spaces

  • Conference Rooms

  • Departmental Commons and Informal Gathering Spaces

  • University Business Collaboration Center 

    • Conference Room

    • Presentation Room

    • Wet Bench Research Lab

  • Makerspace  

    • CAD Lab

    • 3D Printing

    • Wood and Metal Shops

    • Fabrication lab  

 
A Future Built For Tech

Planning for the Science and Technology Innovation Center began in 2015, followed by the removal of Hagestad Hall in summer 2023 to make way for the new facility. After roughly two years of design and two and a half years of construction, SciTech was completed in late 2025 and opened its doors for classes on January 26, 2026.

 

View the Full Project Timeline
Aerial view of SciTech with the text "Check out the project timeline!"


Acknowledgments 

Many people were involved in making this project a reality. The University of Wisconsin-River Falls would particularly like to thank and acknowledge the following:

  • The State of Wisconsin
  • Wisconsin Department of Administration
  • The UW Board of Regents
  • The Universities of Wisconsin Administration, especially the office of Capital Planning and Budget
  • SciTech Planning Committee and Collaborators Council
  • Architects, contractors and consultants
  • Alumni, individual and corporate donors

 
SciTech Project Team

UW-River Falls
  • UWRF Facilities Management
    • Alan Symicek, PE, Overall Project Lead
    • Dale Braun, Campus Planner Emeritus
    • Jessica Riles, Project Planning
    • Mike Mueller, Construction Management Lead
  • College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)
    • Karl Peterson, Dean of CAS, SciTech Project Leadership Team
    • Dean Yohnk, Past Dean of CAS (Retired)
    • Dan Ehlinger, Project Representative, Psychological Sciences
    • Tim Lyden, Project Representative, Biology
    • Lowell McCann, Project Representative, Physics
    • Stacey Stoffregen, Project Representative, Chemistry and Biotechnology
  • UWRF Fundraising Team
    • Rick Foy
  • UWRF Department Chairs
    • Biology: Cheng-Chen Huan
    • Chemistry: Stacey Stoffregen, Lisa Kroutil (previous chair), Barb Nielsen (previous chair)
    • Physics: Glenn Spiczak, Surujhdeo Seunarine (previous chair)
    • Psychological Sciences: Melanie Ayres, Travis Tubre (previous chair)
UW Office of Capital Planning & Budget
  • Deej Lundgren, Associate Vice President for Capital Planning and Budget
  • Alex Roe, Associate Vice President for Capital Planning and Budget (Retired)
  • Cathy O’Hara Weiss, Director of Planning and Architecture
  • Thomas Bittner, Capital Planning & Budget Director
  • Brett Adams, Principal University Planner and Architect 
Wisconsin Department of Administration, Division of Facilities Development
  • Evan Quilling, Project Manager
  • David Turek, Construction Representative 
Architects, Consultants and Contractors
  • Architects and Consultants:
    • BWBR Architects, GRAEFF (structural), Smith Group (civil), Affiliated Engineers (mechanical and electrical), Shen Milsom & Wilke (audio/visual) and Ring & Duchateau (commissioning)
  • Contractors
    • General Contractor: Market & Johnson
    • Subcontractors:
      • Summit Fire Protection
      • Hooper Plumbing 
      • North American Mechanical (NAMI)
      • Neo Electric
      • Johnson Controls
      • Wynn Jones (Lab casework and equipment)

 
About the University Business Collaboration Center (UBCC) 

The UBCC is intended to be a collaborative space that enhances the educational experience of UW-River Falls students, stimulates an ecosystem of innovation on campus and contributes to the sustainable economic development of our greater community and region. External partners who wish to benefit from available resources in the UBCC will be offered access in alignment with the UBCC mission. 

Innovators Speaker Series 

 

With Gratitude to Our Visionary Supporters

We gratefully acknowledge the donors who contributed to the Science and Technology Innovation Center through the UW-River Falls Foundation. Their generosity will fuel immersive learning and limitless opportunities for generations of Falcons. 

Champions Circle - $1 million and above

Jeff and Kristi Cernohous 

Collaborators Circle - $500,000 and above
  • Dr. John E. Butler
  • Charles and Anne Kao 
Innovators Circle - $250,000 and above

  • Stan Cernohous 

  • Myron Amundson 

  • Mark and Kati Forsythe 

  • UW-River Falls Foundation

Researchers Circle - $100,000 and above
  • Dr. Kae Walker
  • Dr. Marvin Lansing
  • Dr. Stephen and Lynn Swensen
  • Greg and Donnette Wheelock
  • First National Bank of River Falls
  • Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation
  • RCU Foundation
  • River Falls Municipal Utilities
  • Dr. John Bryant “Bry” Wyman
  • Shimadzu Corporation
Builders Circle - $50,000 and above
  • Andrew Anderson
  • Kristin Shea
  • Charles Stirrat
  • Joseph Tobola
  • OEM Fabricators, Inc.
  • Ronald Trowbridge
Makers Circle - $10,000 and above
  • WESTconsin Credit Union
  • Dr. Maria Gallo
  • Brad Bittorf
  • Estate of Kent Wheelock
  • David and Patricia Stone
  • Bruce and Linda Christensen
  • Dr. Alan M. Voelker
  • TurnKey Corrections
  • Deborah and William Boehm
  • H. Gaylon Greenhill
  • Paul and Karen Dyksta
  • Neal and Pam Schumacher
  • Max Neuhaus Family
  • John Norman Murray
  • The Keup Family
  • James Anderson
  • Margo F. Lessard
Supporters Circle – $5,000 and above
  • Richard Peterson
  • Xcel Energy Foundation
  • Dr. Bradford Martin Estate
Difference Makers Circle - $1,000 and above
  • Michael and Dawn Lewandowski
  • Stuart Schulz
  • David and Ann Drewiske
  • Robert Melin
  • Mark Gherty
  • Reginald Ronningen
  • James Hendrickson
  • Eugene Schroeder
  • Amy Zimmer
  • Sandra Dicke
  • Lori Mueller
  • Steve and Terri Wilcox
  • Carole Mottaz
  • Lowell McCann
  • Jennifer Wulf
  • Rose Rude

University Marketing and Communications

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410 S. 3rd St.
River Falls, WI 54022

715-425-3771