Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center

15th Anniversary Edition
AY2009-2010 through AY2024-2025

Shields Science Center
Lux et Spes logo

In the fall of 1948, Stonehill College’s inaugural semester had 134 students and eight faculty teaching classes mostly in Donahue Hall. This began a thriving campus that offers educational opportunities to many who represent the first-generation to attend college in their families. Currently, Stonehill educates 2,500 students with 175 faculty members and has helped over 30,000 graduates grow into global citizens who lead with heart. 

As we grow and age, we remain rooted in the values of our founders—developing students who “think, act, and lead in the creation of a more just and compassionate world”. Since 1948, our alumni, professors, staff, parents, friends, benefactors, and the Congregation of Holy Cross have invested their talents to ensure the College’s sustainability and growth. 

September 2009 brought an exciting new addition to Stonehill College with the opening of the Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center, which features state-of-the-art equipment, accessible and dynamic laboratories, a wide variety of study space, and a Dunkin’ where students and faculty from all disciplines can boost their day with coffee or a snack. 

Stonehill graduates continue to make an impact in the fields of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, and Psychology, and graduates are starting to enter career fields in our newest degree areas of Engineering, Photonics, and Health Science. The disciplines housed in the Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center encourage students to explore their full potential through thoughtful coursework and experiential learning. The Shields Science Center fosters strong hands-on technical training with a liberal arts foundation—educating science majors who in turn become excellent professionals and well-rounded lifelong learners devoted to research and discovery in their chosen fields. 

A Message from the Dean of the Thomas and Donna May School of Arts & Sciences

Rev. Kevin P. Spicer, C.S.C. '87

Rev. Kevin P. Spicer, C.S.C. '87 became dean of the Thomas and Donna May School of Arts & Sciences on July 2, 2021. Father Spicer, who is the James J. Kenneally Distinguished Professor of History, is a leading expert on the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and the German state under National Socialism whose standing as a teacher, researcher, and writer in Holocaust Studies is nationally recognized. Father Spicer has served on numerous academic committees, as well as been elected to serve as both Vice President and then President of the Faculty Senate. Father Spicer shares his thoughts on the impact and importance of the Shields Science Center below:

The Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center is the anchor building for the Sciences. In its contemporary and innovative classrooms, faculty and students work together on complex experiments, contributing to discovering solutions for the world’s challenges. Our revolutionary photonics lab allows researchers and students to engage in advanced scientific instrumentation to harness light for practical application. The Pettit Atrium regularly welcomes the Stonehill and surrounding communities for educational and civic gatherings and provides ample space for our students to study and engage in collaborative learning daily. The generosity of the Shields and Pettit families’, as well as the many other alumni and friends who contributed to its construction, have truly blessed Stonehill to create this learning center.

The Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center Advantage

The Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center is approximately 90,000 square feet and includes features such as the attractive and functional Pettit Atrium, which seats 200 for events and programs. Shields also has state-of-the-art laboratories and inviting study spaces throughout the building. It opened for the start of the 2009-2010 Academic Year and celebrates its 15th academic year in 2024-2025. 

two students in a lab

Safety and accessibility were at the forefront of design and construction when planning for the Shields Science Center over a decade ago, particularly in the sciences where the heavy use of chemicals and complex instrumentation increases the risks to faculty and students. The building site, at the front entrance of the campus, allows for easy access to fire trucks and ambulances in the event of an emergency. A proper loading dock and larger elevator eliminate much of the heavy lifting that is required to bring instruments, lab supplies and materials in and out of the building. The Shields Science Center greatly improves air handling by reducing the presence of hazardous particles in the air and is much safer for individuals with disabilities, with improved accessibility features such as wide hallways, larger, more accessible elevators, and adaptable lab bench configurations.

professor and students in lab

Originally, the Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center was designed to transform the study of science at Stonehill. That design plan holds true today, 15 years after its opening—providing our students and faculty in the sciences with a still-modern home in which to foster scientific inquiry and learning. It also serves as a popular gathering and study spot on campus for our students, staff and faculty regardless of academic discipline.

The Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center houses Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Environmental Science, Physics, Astronomy, Neuroscience, Health Science, and Psychology, as well as laboratory spaces for our newest disciplines of Engineering and Photonics—offering state-of-the-art laboratories designed with input from the faculty in the different fields to foster inquiry and learning. The innovative design of the Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center energizes and engages students, as well as enhances faculty teaching and research efforts. Innovative classrooms and research spaces help attract and retain exceptional students by keeping pace with the ever-evolving scientific disciplines. 

A Look at Some of Our New and Emerging STEM Fields

The Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center remains home to our longstanding STEM academic fields of Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Environmental Sciences, Neuroscience, Physics, Astronomy, and Psychology, all of which moved into Shields when it opened 15 years ago. Since that time, those academic fields have continued their tradition of rigorous academic course offerings, experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for graduation, and positive student outcomes through career success and/or pursuit of advanced degrees. Over the past 15 years, Stonehill has also sought to broaden our course offerings in new and emerging fields. Highlighted below are some of the additional areas of study that now call Shields home.

Health Science and Exercise Science

The Health Science program promotes an in-depth understanding of human health through training in the natural and social sciences within a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum. This program is designed for students interested in working in healthcare as allied health professionals, advocates, or researchers, and typically leads to graduate school. The Exercise Science program provides a valuable foundation in the biological and psychological aspects of exercise along with the skill set necessary to apply this knowledge in a clinical setting. Degrees include a major in Health Science as well as a major and minor in Exercise Science.

As two of Stonehill’s newest STEM programs, Health Science and Exercise Science educate future nurses, physician assistants, and physical therapists. These programs combine interdisciplinary coursework (biology, epidemiology, health psychology) with experiential learning opportunities (internships, field work, clinical research) to help students reach their full potential while learning about equal access and humanity

Engineering

When our engineering program was formed in 2021, Stonehill took a humanistic approach to this program in hopes of attracting more students to pursue their interest in a growing field with more job opportunities set to open up in the future. Professor Hassan Bajwa, director of the engineering program at Stonehill, envisions graduates being at the forefront of efforts to address the biggest challenges facing humanity and the planet.

This program builds on our long-standing 3+2 Dual-Degree Engineering program and includes two major/minor courses of study: electrical engineering and computer engineering. Co-located in both the Shields Science Center and the College Center, the Engineering program at Stonehill benefits from shared laboratory space and equipment in Shields that allows students and faculty to collaborate with our Photonics program

Photonics

Stonehill is one of the few colleges in the United States to offer an undergraduate Photonics major. Photonics is the science and technology of light-based devices (lasers, optical sensors, optical communication systems, etc.) and light-based methods for measurement and sensing. The Bachelor of Arts major and minor in Photonics are intended primarily for students interested in science and engineering at the heart of photonics. The field of photonics is rapidly expanding, with applications ranging from applied fields like telecommunication, autonomous driving vehicles, cloud computing, big data, smart mobile, Internet of Things devices, chemical and biological sensing, manufacturing, medical diagnostics, and cryptography to purely scientific advances in chemistry, biology, and physics. In addition to the Photonics major and minor, Stonehill offers a Photonics & Optical Engineering Certificate program that can be completed in 12-months, 3 nights a week.

Engineering and Photonics Labs in Shields

In 2023, Stonehill completed a large-scale effort to relocate our high-tech Integrated Photonics LEAP (Lab for Education & Application Prototypes) Program from an off-campus location to the centrally-located Shields Science Center. 

This relocation created a dedicated Engineering and Integrated Photonics Lab on campus in our Shields Science Center that are adjacent to each other and include shared equipment and classroom space for deeper collaboration between Integrated Photonics and Engineering. The renovation and relocation of this lab space was essential to bringing our Integrated Photonics Program directly onto campus and to deepening collaborative efforts. 

lab tables and equipment
LEAP@Stonehill

Now located on the Stonehill College campus in the Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center, the LEAP@Stonehill (Shields Room 142) and the Circuit Laboratory (Shields Room 144) house state-of-the-art equipment. Additionally, the Physics Laser Lab (Shields Room 343) houses advanced laser equipment used by highly-trained students and faculty. 

LEAP@Stonehill houses equipment applicable to material characterization and high-speed photonics device testing. Students in the Photonics and Optical Engineering Certificate Program also benefit from this high-tech laboratory space. LEAP@Stonehill is part of a network of LEAPS throughout Massachusetts, a part of The AIM Photonics Academy. Funding for the advanced equipment housed in LEAP@Stonehill came through the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2). 

Circuits Lab
Circuits Lab

Our photonics and engineering students, particularly those in the Electrical Engineering major and minor, also benefit from the equipment in the Circuits Lab, which houses smaller pieces of equipment and hands-on tools they can work with to design and test integrated circuits.

Beyond the Building – Ongoing Philanthropy within Shields

Philanthropic support for STEM programs did not end once the Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center was complete. Rather, it was just the start! With a thriving science research community, philanthropy is critical to the continued enhancement of our technology, support and maintenance of our equipment, scholarships that support STEM majors, and more. Just a few examples of the donor funds that continue to make a critical impact on our STEM programs are:

  • The Biology Department Program Fund, which supports programs, supplies, and materials with the biology department.
  • The Developmental Biology Fund, which supports the purchase of equipment that impacts the Biology Department, such as a newly-acquired qPCR, that gives students and faculty access to cutting-edge technology for research and teaching.
  • The Rev. Francis J. Hurley, C.S.C. Endowed Chair in Biology Fund, which supports the appointment of a biology faculty member to hold the chair position for three-year terms—recognizing the teaching and research accomplishments of the chairholder and supporting enhanced research efforts during their chair term.
  • The Cassis Science Instrument Fund, which has supported the acquisition and maintenance of high-tech equipment in Chemistry that has helped enhance student learning. Equipment acquisitions have included a Brucker NMR system and UPLC and UPC2 instruments to support chromatography.
  • The Diversity in the Sciences Speakers Fund – supporting speaking engagements with scientists from groups traditionally underrepresented in science.
  • The Louis Liotta Science Lending Library Fund, which serves as a source of support for our science students who need financial support accessing science textbooks, course materials and resources, such as laptops and digital subscriptions.
  • Sabrina Ferrara Memorial Butterfly Award, to be awarded to a metamorphic student who has been seen by the faculty to reshape, through hard work and determination, their trajectory in the sciences.
  • Several scholarships that support our STEM scholars include the Robert & Diane Peabody Biology Scholarship, the Barbara Anzivino Science Scholarship, and the F2 Scholarship for Aspiring Scientists in Need. 

The Peggy and Ray Pettit Atrium

Reception in Pettit Atrium
Annual President's Reception

Since its opening in 2009, The Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center has become an essential part of Stonehill’s campus. The Peggy and Ray Pettit Atrium continues to be an excellent space for academics and for holding conferences for the Stonehill community and the public. At the forefront is the significant impact that the Peggy and Ray Pettit Atrium has made on every student and active member of the Stonehill community.  The Pettit Atrium is one of the most popular workspaces on Stonehill College's campus for students working on group projects or participating in study and peer tutoring sessions.  

With over 2,000 special events hosted in the Peggy and Ray Pettit Atrium, study spaces available throughout the building, and classrooms dedicated to the sciences, psychology & astronomy, the Shields Science Center has become an academic and social hub for students and faculty regardless of academic discipline and an inviting space for members of the larger regional community beyond Stonehill’s borders, including galas and events for nonprofit and community organizations such as the Easton Lions Club, the Children’s Museum of Easton, and the Metro South Chamber of Commerce. 

A few examples of the many events held in the Pettit Atrium include:

  • The Diversity in the Sciences Speakers Series brings scientists to campus at least two times per year from groups traditionally underrepresented in science. They present scientific seminars to students, faculty, alumni, and friends of the college.
  • Skyhawk Welcome Days take place each spring on campus with Pettit serving as one of a few larger spaces where accepted students and their families gather to see what happens at Stonehill and hear from faculty and students about how Stonehill can help meet personal and professional goals.
  • The Annual Benefactor & Student Scholarship Dinner is an opportunity for scholarship recipients and benefactors to meet each other over a nice meal and good conversation – celebrating scholar achievements while also sharing our gratitude for the donors who support financial aid at the College.
  • The Annual President’s Reception is a gathering of local neighbors, friends, alumni, and benefactors who support of the City of Brockton Scholarship Program at Stonehill - a scholarship that funds the educational journeys of Brockton residents and Brockton High School graduates.
  • DiverCity, a student-led event that is a culmination of dance (traditional and contemporary) and other musical and theatrical performances, promotes diversity and inclusion in the Stonehill College community. 

Annual Benefactor & Student Scholarship Dinner 

Annual Benefactor & Student Scholarship Dinner 

Stonehill College 75th Anniversary Mass

Internship and Co-Op Fair

Student and Faculty Reflections on the Impact of the Shields Science Center

The faculty in each department create a common connection across the disciplines, helping students view their fields of study from multiple perspectives. A focus on guidance and leadership gives graduates a competitive advantage and positions them to succeed. The Shields Science Center offers an exceptional education—in the classroom and the field to students with an interest in law and government, the STEM fields, education, the arts, or humanities.

Professor Nicole Cyr

Associate Professor of Biology & Neuroscience, Neuroscience Program Director
“I teach all my classes and conduct all my research in the Shields Science Center. I appreciate that I can teach both lecture and lab in the same space in Shields. This is true for my Neuroscience and my Endocrinology courses. This is particularly nice because it helps to better interconnect lecture and lab. For example, if it is very easy for students to check on an experiment during lecture time rather than having to wait. This allows us to do more with our experiments. In terms of research, my research students are constantly using the cell culture room which is equipped with incubators to grow our cells. We also have access to -80° freezer to freeze down these cells and to equipment to measure protein expression in our cells post experimentation.”

Julia Helms

Class of 2026
“Shields has been a great place to collaborate with my friends and classmates, whether it be working on homework and projects together, or studying for upcoming exams and quizzes. Being able to be a part of the SURE program this summer has allowed me to get more real-world, hands-on experience than I might get in labs during the academic year. It has also allowed me to use instrumentation on my own and in more depth than I normally would.”

Professor Lillian Reuman

Assistant Professor of Psychology
“The Shields Science Center has exceeded my expectations in terms of classroom, research, and office space. I feel fortunate to walk into the building each day and see my students walking through the hallways and enjoying Dunkin in the Pettit Atrium. The classroom spaces are well-equipped (with technology and furniture) and fit the modular needs of my discussion-based courses. The research space that I use is spacious and facilitates confidential human subjects research (in individual and group formats) as well as productive lab meetings with students. Lastly, my office - with a window facing the quad - allows me to be in close proximity to my wonderful colleagues. On a daily basis, I enjoy coming to work because of the people I work with and the spaces/resources that I am fortunate to use.”

When I look back at my time over the last three years, I will remember the Shields Science Center above all. This building has become my home away from home, where I have spent more hours here than in my dorm or anywhere else on campus. Whether I am in a lecture, a 4-hour lab, or chatting with my classmates, so many amazing memories have been made in this building. My daily supply of Dunkin keeps me running throughout the day as I bounce from studying groups in the Pettit Atrium to office hours on the third floor. The smiles, laughs, and some small tears have defined my time as a biochemistry major at Stonehill College, a time I would never want to give back. Again, I thank the Shields family for their continued support of the STEM programs at Stonehill College and for allowing me to see my full potential as a future physician-scientist.

Professor Alessandro Massarotti

Associate Professor of Physics, Physics & Astronomy Department Chair, Earth & Planetary Sciences Program Director
“Shields is the place where people in all of the sciences mix together. My office is close to those of researchers in chemistry, but also psychology. We share both space and ideas, and students in all sciences are continually around us, often squatting in our offices, something that we all love and cherish.”

Madison Shorey

Class of 2025
"Being in the Shields Science Center helps me learn and expand my knowledge through its labs dedicated to research. All of my professors have offices in Shields, so it is nice to be able to attend classes in Shields, but also be able to follow up with professors easily after class if I don’t fully understand something. As a psychology major it is nice to have classrooms that allow us to learn in different ways such as lectures, group discussions, and quiet spaces for individual work. Shields is one of my favorite places to study between classes as its balcony overlooks the Pettit Atrium. It is a great spot for me and my friends to meet, enjoy Dunkin, and work on our school assignments.”

Juli D’Antonio

Class of 2027
“Shields is a building that feels safe for a lot of people. You can see people at all times, either enjoying the services of Dunkin Donuts or studying. I spend all of my time on the 3rd floor. The classes there are really nice and comfortable. You can find several places to study, it can be either a big table with whiteboards that encourages group work/study, or some individual chairs with a place to write on. I usually go to the individual ones near the window where I can see outside while I quietly study. That is honestly one of my favorite places on campus."

I have plenty of fond memories with professors and friends at the Shields Science Center. The classmates that I spent time late night studying with on the 3rd floor of Shields have become some of my closest friends. I cannot thank the people who have graciously helped the science department obtain these instruments enough, because learning how to operate them and interpreting the data is fundamental for not only for my classes but for research and will hopefully impress future employers down the road.

Thank You!

Your support of the Thomas and Mary Shields Science Center may have taken place 15 years ago when Stonehill College raised funds to construct this state-of-the-art building, but please know that it continues to hold many doors open for our students and ensure that future generations of STEM scholars have access to the highest caliber science education. We remain deeply grateful for how you have contributed to the mission of Stonehill.

Learn More

Make a Gift Ways to Give In Memoriam Gifts Areas to Support Giving Opportunities Honor Roll of Donors Office of Alumni Engagement

For You