Norris Hall of Chemistry Renovation

Occidental is committed to ensuring that our faculty and students have the technology, space, and resources they need to teach, learn, and perform cutting-edge research. To meet that goal, we are planning an exciting and much-needed renovation of Norris Hall of Chemistry.

On April 27, 2026, the Occidental College Board of Trustees approved the use of reserved funds to begin the Norris Hall of Chemistry Renovations. The building, which opened in 1960, has served our campus well, but—aside from recent safety upgrades—it has not undergone significant renovations in more than 30 years. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027.

The renovation will enable Occidental to attract and retain premier teacher-scholars and modernize our facilities to support cutting-edge discovery and provide meaningful experiences in the lab—an invaluable asset for all Oxy students and a significant advantage for those who go on to pursue advanced degrees and careers in the sciences.

Renovations will include expanded and redesigned teaching labs; state-of-the-art faculty research labs and new offices; new spaces to encourage collaboration, creative thinking, and problem solving among students; and an entirely new Academic Mastery Program center.

To support this top College priority, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at giving@oxy.edu or call (323) 341-4OXY.

 

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Raul Navarro

“We are already modernizing the ways we approach our science and our research,” says Raul Navarro, associate professor of chemistry, “and with these critical renovations, Norris Hall of Chemistry will finally reflect those new approaches.”

  • Architect's rendering of a renovated teaching lab in Norris Hall of Chemistry. Expanded and redesigned labs will incorporate new instructional technologies and foster faculty-student partnership and mentorship.

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  • As part of the Undergraduate Research Center’s (URC) Summer Research Program (SRP), Kaylee Nguyen ’28 works with chemistry professor Emmanuelle Despagnet-Ayoub. Despagnet-Ayoub’s research interests lie in the development of transition-metal complexes for energy storage and polymerization, the photochemistry of aromatic compounds, and the activation of small molecules via electrochemical processes.

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  • The Academic Mastery Program’s renovated space will offer a flexible configuration for classroom teaching or tutoring, lectures or receptions, and student collaboration.

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  • Students in Professor Vikram Shende’s lab conduct an experiment. Professor Shende teaches biochemistry and organic chemistry, and his research group investigates how enzymes can be used to efficiently assemble complex molecules.

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  • The patio, named in honor of President Emeritus Harry J. Elam, Jr., will be a central communal area for academic and creative thought exchange, peer learning, and connection.

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Photos by Marc Campos. Renderings courtesy JFAK Architects.

Supporting the Sciences at Occidental

On June 30, 2024, Occidental marked the successful close of an incredible challenge put forth by Barbara and Michael Gibby ’68, longtime supporters of the sciences at Oxy. Not only did the community rise to the challenge to raise the $700,000 needed to unlock the Gibbys’ transformational $1 million gift, we raised an additional $1.5 million for the project from more than 100 individuals and foundations, including every member of the Board of Trustees. 

Alumni like Edmond Clinton ’68 and Diane (Grossman) Clinton ’68 know the impact an Oxy education can have on a graduate’s career and the power that philanthropy can have on a beloved institution. Crediting Professor of Chemistry Frank Lambert for instilling good habits which set them up for academic and professional successes—Edmond as an internist with Huntington Hospital and Diane a math teacher and administrator at La Cañada Unified School District—the couple are dedicated to preserving their experience for future students. After establishing an endowed fellowship with the Undergraduate Research Center, the Clintons were moved to make an additional investment of $1 million toward the Norris Hall of Chemistry renovation.

“Oxy students need these tools to be ready for their future endeavors in the sciences and the world needs scientists to discover and unwrap the future needs of our planet. The close connections between professor and student that we experienced was a privilege and a rarity. It’s our obligation to preserve that experience for current and future Oxy students.”  —Edmond Clinton ’68 and Diane (Grossman) Clinton ’68

18 Young Scientists to Watch

Occidental’s labs are the launching pads for countless careers in the sciences—and here are 18 graduates of the last 20 years, nominated by their former faculty mentors, doing exemplary work in their field.

Read magazine article

Oxy Science Stories

Liliana Madrid-Larranaga headshot
Liliana Madrid Larrañaga ’26
Biochemistry, Public Health

A peer health educator, Liliana is taking steps toward her dream career working in women’s healthcare.

Occidental College student Kiam Shamskhou headshot
Kian Shamskhou ’22
Biochemistry

Kian studies chemical reactions that form bonds between carbon atoms, seeking to find less toxic alternatives.

Emmanuelle Despagnet-Ayoub
Associate Professor of Chemistry

In conjunction with Oxy, Emmanuelle is working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a technologist.

Read Liliana's story
Read Kian's story
Read Emmanuelle's story

Alumni in the Sciences

Namandje Bumpus
Namandjé Bumpus '03
Biology Former Principal Deputy Commissioner, FDA
“I’m a scientist and my lab works on developing drugs for infectious disease, and I got my start at Oxy. I think an important aspect of education at Oxy is the depth and breadth of scientific exposure you get—it really is a gem.”
Cheryl Prigodich
Cheryl Prigodich '06
Psychology Principal Deputy Director, Center for Disease Control
“My time at Oxy helped prepare me for my professional career. I was afforded a breadth of experiences and received constant mentoring and guidance. These opportunities taught me discipline and hard work, helped me figure out what I’m passionate about...and prepared me for a life of public service.”
Alumnus Dan Springer '85
Dan Springer '85
Economics, Mathematics Former CEO, Fortune 500 Technology Company
"Oxy's Blyth Fund was a great life experience. We learned how to evaluate companies and whether we thought they would be successful investments. It created a huge interest in investing for me."
Contact Institutional Advancement
AGC Administrative Center 100

Occidental College
1600 Campus Road M-36
Los Angeles, CA 90041

Phone: (323) 341-4OXY
giving@oxy.edu

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