University of Alaska, Anchorage's newest building, the ConocoPhillips Integrated Science Building (CPISB), will be the site of a grand opening celebration on Oct. 23 at 4 p.m. The CPISB opened for fall semester use in late August. This exceptional, multi-disciplinary building is dedicated to world-class instruction, faculty and instructional research, and interdisciplinary science. The CPISB is the first UAA building that was conceived, designed and built with environmental and fiscal sustainability in mind. This 120,000-square-foot facility physically brings together the disciplines of astronomy, biology, biochemistry, biomedical studies, chemistry, environmental sciences, geology and physics. The CPISB is designed as three modules linked by a massive glass atrium that serves as a hub for students, faculty and staff. The three wings include faculty offices, classrooms and research/teaching laboratories. The crown jewel of the CPISB is the 64-seat planetarium and visualization theater, the first of its kind in the state of Alaska. The planetarium's 33-foot dome features digital technology that projects a seamless image over the entire dome surface and delivers dramatic, crystal-clear sound. From astronomical objects in outer space to the inner space of cellular structure, the new UAA planetarium can bring to life any three-dimensional image.

UAA Alumni Association, Board Meeting, Jul 12, 2008