Undergraduate
Undergraduate Experience
Quick Links
Graduate
Graduate Experience
Quick Links
Research
Research by Program Area
Quick Links
Bachelor's Degrees
Undergraduate Experience
Quick Links
Graduate Experience
Quick Links
Research by Program Area
Quick Links
Our instructional labs, makerspaces, and workshops—as well as instructional staff—are here to support project-based, hands-on learning for our undergraduate students, as well as provide design and fabrication support for graduate research. All lab and project spaces at Thayer are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and equipment, thus have specific protocols and safety requirements for its use.
Analog Electronics and Systems Labs
Location: Cumming Hall (C221 and C222)
Contact: Robert (Bob) Barry, Engineering Lab Instructor
The Systems Labs contain several workstations plus three partial workstations with electronic instrumentation. These instructional labs are for use only by students in courses assigned to the labs or by special permission of the lab manager. The rules of use for the lab are:
Materials Laboratories
Location: MacLean Engineering Sciences Center (M016, M026, M028, and MB028)
Contact: Daniel Cullen, Engineering Lab Instructor
The Materials Laboratories are under the supervision of Daniel Cullen. The use of equipment, instruments, tools, chemicals, or other supplies is restricted to registered students and Dartmouth College employees. The laboratories contain compressed gases, liquid nitrogen, high temperature furnaces, high voltage power supplies, x-ray equipment, chemical fume hoods, acids, and other chemicals. The use of appropriate safety equipment, such as protective splash goggles, hats, gloves, and aprons are required. Students must receive training and authorization before using equipment in these labs. No food is permitted in these labs.
Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering Laboratories
The research labs for biotechnology and biochemical engineering are located throughout Cummings Hall, MacLean Engineering Sciences Center, and the Engineering and Computer Science Center (ECSC), under the supervision of Professors Margie Ackerman, Britt Goods, Karl Griswold, Jiwon Lee, Lee Lynd, and John Zhang. In addition, ECSC also houses space for shared facilities and equipment including the Biotech Teaching Lab (E143), Media Prep (E146), Analytic Lab (E137), and Environmental Rooms (E145 A-C). The Biotech Teaching Lab houses an oscillating disc rheometer, a dynamic mechanical analyzer, and facilities for mammalian cell culture including an incubator and a biosafety cabinet. A Revvity Quantum GX3 microCT scanner is available for use with proper training (located at DHMC and managed by the Dartmouth Cancer Center).
Anyone seeking access to equipment, tools, chemicals or other supplies in these labs should contact Molly Carpenter, Engineering Lab Instructor, or from one of the professors who supervise the individual labs. Everyone working in these labs must familiarize themselves with Essential Information on Laboratory Safety at Dartmouth College: Resource Guide, provided by Dartmouth’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
Our research involves the use of compressed, flammable, and poisonous gases, hypodermic needles and syringes, and chemical agents that are mutagenic, carcinogenic, explosive, and highly toxic as well as biological hazards including pathogenic organisms and infectious agents. Students must familiarize themselves with potential hazards and appropriate procedures of disposal of chemicals, needles, broken glass, and biohazardous wastes that they use in their research and demonstrate this familiarity by completing required safety training. No food or drink is permitted in lab refrigerators and eating and drinking in labs is prohibited. The labs are under card access restrictions and are locked 24/ 7. Students needing lab access will have to obtain this by communicating with the Biotech Lab Manager or one of the PIs listed below.
Location: Engineering and Computer Science Center (E135-146)
Contact: Professor Margie Ackerman
Location: Engineering and Computer Science Center (E135-146)
Contact: Professor Britt Goods
Location: Engineering and Computer Science Center (E135-146)
Contacts: Professor Karl Griswold
Location: Engineering and Computer Science Center (E135-146)
Contacts: Professor Jiwon Lee
Location: Engineering and Computer Science Center (E233)
Contacts: Professor Lee Lynd
Location: MacLean Engineering Sciences Center (MB06); Cummings Hall (CB01, CB02, CB03)
Contacts: Professor John Zhang
Project Laboratories
There are five instructional project lab spaces spread across Cummings Hall, the MacLean Engineering Sciences Center, and the Class of 1982 Engineering and Computer Science Center: the Couch Project Design Lab, the Fahey Advanced Design Lab, the Large Frame Project Lab, the Electronics Project Lab, and the Couch Project Lab II. These labs are intended for curricular project work, while faculty labs are more appropriate for sponsored research.
For overall lab use questions or when the supervisor below is not available, contact Mike Kokko, Director of Instructional Labs, or the Director of Facilities and Safety Jon Stark.
The Couch Lab is a large general design and assembly space for use in a variety of primarily undergraduate project courses including ENGS 21. Large benches are available for project work, but should be kept clear when work is not actively ongoing, and must be cleared before the next class day starts (TA's clear anything left on tables between 7:00am and 9:00am every weekday). A soldering station with USB microscope is available in Couch I. Wall storage units are available for parts storage. A variety of mechanical and electronics test equipment is also available. Some woodworking and general purpose power tools are provided for use by students with safety training or under direct supervision of trained TAs. The lab is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with the large power tools available from 8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday. When using power tools, safety glasses must be worn and hair must be pulled back and tucked above the shoulders inside a hat. Use of the Instron mechanical testing machines require training and authorization from Daniel Cullen, as well as someone within hailing distance (the buddy system). Hearing protection, chemical splash goggles, and gloves are available in the Instrument Room. The MShop also stocks supplies for general project use, including fasteners and assorted hardware. For more detail, please refer to the posted document "Student Project Lab Rules and Etiquette." In general, food and drink are permitted as long as they are cleaned up when done, with the exception of M018, the high vent lab just off Couch lab, where food or drink are not permitted. This space is managed by the Machine Shop.
The Couch II Lab is a large design space used primarily for undergraduate courses including ENGS 12 and 21. Equipment is limited to hand tools for working with foam core and cardboard, sewing machines, and whiteboards for brainstorming. A basic electronics station with a soldering iron and test equipment is provided for use in the adjoining EB09 space. Consumable materials in the back room (post its, fabrics, etc) are for ENGS 12 use only and are labeled accordingly. The lab is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with occasional hours staffed by TAs during weekdays. All long term work must be stored in cubbies and not left out on tables–TAs will clean tables daily, so please don’t leave your project work out or it will get thrown away. Cubbies are available for students to use for project storage and will be cleaned out at the end of each term. Please label your cubby with name, course, and term. In general, food and drink are permitted as long as they are cleaned up and disposed of properly when done. This space is under the supervision of Chris Magoon.
The Fahey Advanced Design Lab is used for courses with significant laboratory and/ or project components (eg. ENGS 22, ENGS 25, ENGS 76, ENGS 89/ 90, ENGS 147). The room remains locked 24/ 7 and card access is provided on a term-by-term basis to students with assigned space in the room. Certain extracurricular student groups (eg. DFR, DHE) have dedicated space reserved in Fahey. This laboratory space includes a soldering station. Project materials may be left on benches in Fahey during the term, however, the space must remain neat. This space is under the supervision of Mike Kokko.
The Large Frame Lab is the permanent home of Dartmouth Formula Racing, but also serves as a fabrication and assembly area for large projects which may involve large metal frames. The Allyn Lab includes a welding station with a large fixturing table, and dedicated space for assembling and testing high-voltage electronics. Allyn is to be used only by students who have been assigned access, received safety and equipment-specific training, and have agreed to the Allyn Lab use policies. It is typically used by BE students and occasional ENGS 21 and ENGS 89/ 90 projects. Some power tools are available only to users specifically qualified (ask if you are unsure). This space is under the supervision of Raina White.
The Digital Electronics Project Lab is a design and assembly space for electronics, mechatronics, and energy-related projects. Use of this lab is by assignment; the front space is usually assigned to a relevant Engineering course (eg. ENGS 28, ENGS 31), and the rear space is assigned to specific projects. This space is under the supervision of Tad Truex.
