Utah Governor Spencer Cox. Credit: Todd Anderson

The L. S. Skaggs Applied Science Building and the renovated historic William Stewart Building complete the $97 million Applied Science Project. Together with the Crocker Science Center, the structures along University Street comprise the Crocker Science Complex, a 275,000-square-foot engine of discovery fueling Utah’s booming STEM economy.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 16, 2025, donors, policymakers, university leaders and business luminaries praised the complex as a visionary investment in scientific research and a launchpad for future innovators.

“It’s an interesting time for science and technology and research in our country. And I want to just make it clear that the state of Utah is doubling down on research, doubling down on science,” said Utah Governor Spencer Cox to a packed room in the building’s atrium. “At a time when the federal government is cutting back on funding for scientific initiatives, which I think is a mistake, Utah is saying the exact opposite…We’re not just solving Utah’s problems anymore, we’re solving the world’s problems, and we’re doing it right here.”

The U educates more than half of all STEM undergraduates and 75% of graduate students among the Utah System of Higher Education institutions. The new 140,000-square-foot-facilities help meet unprecedented STEM enrollment, a feat made possible by the Utah state legislature’s $67.5 million appropriation and significant donations from Gary and Ann Crocker and the ALSAM Foundation, founded by L. S. and Aline W. Skaggs.

Peter Trapa addressing the gathering. Credit: Todd Anderson

“It’s the prosperity generated by public and private investment, which in turn makes future investment possible, that fuels a cycle that benefits the citizens of Utah many times over. That is a manifestation of the Utah Way,” said Peter Trapa, vice provost and senior dean of the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “In many ways, it’s the investment of the past and the fruits of that cycle that allow us to be here celebrating today.”

Courses in the Crocker Science Complex serve nearly 5,000 students annually via pre-prerequisite courses for 37 different degree programs and nine pre-professional programs. With a 56% increase in experimental and computer physics labs, the new spaces will give every College of Science student the opportunity to do hands-on research, even in their first year on campus, through the Science Research Initiative.

“This building is going to ripple through the lives of tens of thousands of students each year—not over decades, but each year—and they will become our future physicians and our future nurses, our future scientists, our future pharmacists and astronomers, environmental scientists,” said Gary Crocker, for whom the Crocker Science Complex is named. “The completion of this new and integrated science complex makes us extraordinarily well-positioned to be a leader not only in science-based research and education, but also in science-based commercial innovation.”

Max Seawright gives a tour of the Wilkes Center. Credit: Todd Anderson

The Applied Science Project, designed by EDA Architects and built by Okland Construction, will house the Departments of Physics & Astronomy and Atmospheric Sciences and the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy. Its rooftops host monitors for tracking dust, aerosols and particulate matter, which scientists use to help communities protect their health. Entire classrooms can now use state-of-the-art telescopes to practice gathering and analyzing data used for real research. Members from the Wilkes Center were integral to high-impact initiatives, such as the Great Salt Lake Strike Team, and continue to address growing challenges gripping the American Southwest.

“The full impact of the investment in this space, in world-class research and teaching facilities can’t be known at this moment, but as you look around, it’s easy to see that the technical infrastructure alone is transformational,” said Pearl Sandick, interim dean for the College of Science. “The impact is felt often through the application, whether it’s technology that grew out of research done on our campus, or data provided by the Wilkes Center to decision makers in the government and in the industry, as well as the trajectories of the students who pass through these halls.”

Aside from research and education, the spaces are an asset for all Utahns to enjoy. The west entrance has a new, outdoor gathering space for connection and well-being. Astronomers host public stargazing parties for free—every week, they invite the community into the majesty of the universe through state-of-the-art telescopes. The Wilkes Center displays real-time air quality data on monitors outside its offices, which anyone can access virtually. Inside are two major public art pieces by artist Bruce Shapiro, commissioned by the Utah Division of Arts and Museums: the “Sisyphus” sand sculpture table in the Stewart Building entrance and the “Three Medusae” kinetic artwork hanging from the ceiling in the Applied Science Building atrium. The new facilities are designed with energy efficiency in mind, with leaders working toward Gold LEED certification.

President Randall flashes the U with Matt Johnson, atmospheric science alum and meteorologist with KSL who reported the weather from the building’s rooftop. Credit: Todd Anderson

Amid the cutting-edge features are details rooted in Utah’s past, with preserved architectural elements including original staircases and fireplaces. The historic Stewart Building is itself a Utah legacy through which hundreds of thousands of Salt Lake City residents experienced elementary school until the 1960s. William M. Stewart founded the school on the U campus as an experimental model that emphasized hands-on learning.

With the opening of the final stage of the Crocker Science Complex, Stewart alums may see their grandchildren get real-world experience while pursuing their degree. President Taylor Randall noted a few well-known alums of the University of Utah’s College of Science—Bill Gore, the creator of Core-Tex, who graduated with a degree in chemistry. And Adobe founder John Warnock, who graduated in mathematics.

“All of those individuals came through here with dreams to create something new,” Randall said. “This is actually a place where students’ dreams will happen. Whether they’re undergraduates or graduate students, they will happen here.”

During a turbulent time for U.S. research, the event was a celebration of science and our shared belief in a better future.

“[The Skaggs family] loves this university. We believe in this university…and I am actually afraid of where we’re headed,” said Mark Skaggs, who represented the ALSAM Foundation at the ceremony. Noting federal budget cuts to the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and top U.S. universities, Skaggs said his family’s investment in the Applied Science Building represents renewed support for science and university research.

“Thank you for believing in what we believe in and what we’ve always believed in, and what hopefully would be a right future in this country, as far as research for all of these people.”