Designing NRF
The NIMET NRF was envisioned from the beginning as a campus-wide NRF, different from the normal model of departmental research labs. In this vision, NRF would not support just a single discipline but stimulate the interaction among the disciplines. Core research facilities and labs would be established in NRF, and scientists from all colleges would work together and share the tools.
To realize this vision, a series of programming/design workshops were organized, detailed design development drawings were developed, and review meetings were held over an eighteen month period involving the NIMET Committee, UF faculty, and the design/construction team to determine the scope and function of the NRF. These helped define the research requirements and equipment needed to accomplish the future research goals at the UF.
NRF was also planned to enhance the translation of new research ideas into useful commercial applications, and to train UF students in the use of the latest NS&T techniques as part of their education.