Robins & Morton Field Lab Celebrates 5th Anniversary

Aerial view of an industrial lot with several shipping containers, two large buildings, vehicles, and a central grassy area surrounded by gravel paths.

The McWhorter School of Building Science (BSCI) is celebrating five years of the Robins & Morton Field Lab, which took the program’s experiential learning to a new level.

“It offers the students the opportunity to learn about how construction materials go together,” Richard Burt, School Head and McWhorter Endowed Chair, said, explaining that the courses that operate out of the Robins & Morton Field Lab complement the construction theory courses taught in the Gorrie Center.

A group of construction workers wearing safety vests and hard hats build a small blue structure inside a large warehouse. Some workers are on ladders while others handle materials on the ground.
The Field Lab allows for full-scale projects and large mockups.

The BSCI program has included hands-on learning opportunities through community service projects for 30 years and has made use of a three-acre parcel of land on West Samford Avenue for the last decade. Once only a classroom trailer and a couple of storage containers, the space hosted workshops and research for concrete, geothermal heating and cooling and wood, steel and soil structures courses.

A person in an orange BSCI safety vest observes another worker using fall protection equipment on a training structure outdoors.
Students have the opportunity to test out safety protocols in a controlled environment.
A red shipping container displays a sign reading Be a True Builder with a photo of construction workers in safety gear and the Robins & Morton logo.
The generosity of Robins & Morton has significantly contributed to the education of the next generation of construction professionals.
Several construction workers in safety vests and hard hats assemble a wooden structure inside a large warehouse with rolled-up doors.
Students have space to learn framing, despite the changing Alabama weather.

Under the guidance of BSCI faculty Bruce Smith, Michael Hein, Ben Farrow and Mike Hosey, the field lab grew to accommodate courses for Architecture students, safety training and construction projects like housing prototypes for developing countries.

In the spring of 2018, Robins & Morton donated $1.3 million to transform the existing lab to a permanent facility that could cater to the broad experiences and opportunities the program offers, opening the Robins & Morton Construction Field Laboratory in the spring of 2020.

Two people wearing white hard hats work on the exterior of a building with ladders visible in the foreground and background.
It’s never too early to start building construction skills.
A group of people gathers around and on a small modern wooden structure outdoors, with orange shipping containers and trees in the background.
The Field Lab also hosts events for professionals and researchers, like the CLT Conference in 2024.
Three people in hard hats and blue shirts assemble wooden frames at a construction site; one uses a nail gun while another holds a board in place.
The Field Lab gives students space to work in teams and collaborate.

“It provides experiential learning about planning and executing projects, building and being part of a team, and being accountable while executing work,” Mike Thompson ‘82, Senior Vice President of Robins & Morton, said. “It hopefully gives students empathy for the tradespeople they will later encounter on job sites by better understanding how difficult it can be to perform the actual work.”

“Robins & Morton is proud to have been and continue to be a part of something that gives so much validation to the enjoyment and learning that comes out of it,” he said.

A group of people stands in a garage, observing several workstations made of cinder blocks and green boards; a wheelbarrow filled with cement is in the foreground.
Students use the Field Lab to learn concrete construction processes.
Students sit at tables in a classroom, facing a teacher and presentation slides displayed on three large screens at the front of the room.
The classroom space allows students to listen to lectures and work in teams.
A person wearing safety goggles and a hard hat operates a DeWalt miter saw in a workshop. Shelves with tools and materials are visible in the background.
The Field Lab is equipped with high quality tools for the students to use.

The first of its kind in a university construction program, the Robins & Morton Field Lab functions like a working jobsite with a high-bay building that allows students to build prototypes from scaffolding. The onsite classroom holds 40 students in a professional construction management setting. The controlled environment allows the students to prefabricate construction elements, like panels for Habitat for Humanity houses around Auburn.

A group of people wearing yellow safety vests measure and pour materials into buckets on a wooden table during an outdoor workshop.
The outreach programs allow prospective students to explore careers in construction.

“The Robins & Morton Field Lab provides them with invaluable hands-on experience in building and safety practices, which are crucial for their development as effective construction managers,” Field Lab Manager Andy Hughes said. “This practical exposure not only enhances their learning but also significantly boosts their confidence and readiness for the industry.”

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Community Engagement, Faculty Collaboration, Faculty Work, Industry Collaboration, Industry Engagement, Industry Recognition, Student Experience

Related people:
C. Ben Farrow, Richard Burt, Mike Hosey, Andy Hughes, Amna Salman