Lubrizol Foundation funds renovation of chemistry laboratory

Thanks to the generosity of The Lubrizol Foundation, hundreds of chemistry majors and thousands of students from various disciplines at The University of Akron are benefiting from a laboratory outfitted with greater efficiencies and more conducive to a modern chemistry education.

A gift from The Lubrizol Foundation funded the complete overhaul of an advanced teaching lab in the Knight Chemical Laboratory building. Completed earlier this year, the renovation included the purchase and installation of new laboratory and instrument benches, a SmartBoard, sinks, eye-wash station, wall-mounted cabinetry, and flooring, as well as painting and ceiling repairs.

To thank The Lubrizol Foundation, the University hosted a dedication luncheon for Lubrizol executives, University administrators, and members of the Chemistry Department. The gathering included a tour of the renovated lab and the unveiling of a permanent plaque inscribed with the teaching lab’s new name: The Lubrizol Chemistry Laboratory.

“Lubrizol is pleased for the opportunity to improve the communities where our employees live and work,” said Dave J. Enzerra, then-president of The Lubrizol Foundation who now serves the company as senior global operations manager. “We are a proud partner of The University of Akron and support its ongoing commitment to higher education, most especially by advancing the study of chemistry.”

“Teaching laboratories are at the forefront when it comes to preparing students for success in the chemical sciences,” added Kim Calvo, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry at The University of Akron. “We are extremely grateful, therefore, for Lubrizol’s generosity, which allows the University to continually improve its educational opportunities.”

Built in 1976, the Knight Chemical Laboratory building houses eight teaching labs and is part of the University’s Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences. The newly dedicated lab supports the College’s dynamic educational delivery to students and is utilized by all chemistry majors and undergraduate students – a number that has grown considerably in recent years.

ABOUT LUBRIZOL
The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a technology-driven global company that combines complex specialty chemicals to optimize the quality, performance and value of its customers' products while reducing environmental impact. Lubrizol products and technologies are found in things people use every day, including the surfaces and fluids in vehicles, shampoos and soaps, medicine, clothing, electronic devices, and plumbing systems. Based in Wickliffe, Ohio, the company employs 7,500 worldwide and had revenue of $6.4 billion in 2013.