Hagan highlights Latimer-Smith Building during Martin Kiwanis Club program

UT Martin Physical Plant Project Coordinator Dana Hagan presented a program last week to the Martin Kiwanis Club highlighting the new Latimer-Smith Engineering and Science Building.

Hagan explained that Bill and Carol Latimer’s $6.5 million gift made possible the new $65 million, 130,000 square-foot, three-story building that was dedicated during a ceremony in October of last year and opened for use in January 2023.

The Latimer gift provided the 10% match required by the state for construction of this state-of-the art facility.

The building is named for the Latimers, as well as UT Martin Chancellor Emeritus Bob Smith, who was also instrumental in the ground work on funding for the new building.

The Latimer-Smith Building houses the departments of chemistry and physics, computer science, engineering, mathematics and statistics, and the pre-professional health sciences program. The building features classrooms, laboratories, offices, and an observatory.

Hagan, who showed photographs and graphics throughout her presentation, also described some of the outstanding design features of the building: the use of glass and areas of special glass with UTM etchings that help control cooling; the light and shadow designs throughout the building that resemble sunlight through trees; the open spaces and numerous study areas, the café, the community room, and more.

Hagan also invited Kiwanis members to have a meeting in the new building.

(Anna Clark, Martin Kiwanis Club)