A major undertaking at Yale is the Upper Science Hill Development project. Across multiple phases, this multi-year endeavor will dramatically expand existing space and create new facilities for quantum, engineering, and materials science. This year, the completion of Phase 1 will usher in, among other improvements, the opening of the Wright Laboratory Exploration Wing, funded by a generous donor.

The new wing, connected to the existing Wright Laboratory, will provide research space for seven Yale faculty members, plus facilities for teaching and collaboration across the cutting edge of physics, from nuclear matter to dark matter to the quantum realm. 

Laura Newburgh, associate professor of phys¬ics, studies the beginning of the universe and how it expanded and evolved over time. “I use radio and millimeter wave telescopes to measure signals from the universe,” she says. The Wright Laboratory Exploration Wing will allow her to develop drones for calibrating radio telescopes around the world.

Associate Professor of Physics David Moore, who studies dark matter and neutrinos, is also excited about the potential for new experiments that the addition will offer. “It can give us the low-vibration, low-noise lab space we need to do these very sensitive tests,” he says.

In addition to the laboratories, the new wing will feature collaborative spaces for fostering interaction among faculty, visiting scholars, and students. Architects and engineers are incorporating sustainable design elements to align with Yale’s zero-carbon commitment.

Karsten Heeger, the Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics, directs Wright Lab. He says he is especially excited about the exploration wing, which will be ready for occupancy in June. “These new facilities will allow us to develop novel instrumentation and build even more sensitive experiments on campus,” he says. “They will help us advance the frontiers of science and discovery here at Yale.”