New Pathogen Lab Helps Students Design Healthy Spaces

The EPA says we spend more than 90% of our time indoors — where we work, where we shop, where we worship, where we go to school — and there are so many germs, everywhere we touch, inside with us.

This Tiger Giving Day, Auburn's Interior Design program is raising funds for the new, cutting-edge CHS Pathogen Lab, which is positioned to equip Human Sciences students with even more tools needed to design healthy homes, kitchens, schools, hospitals and more.

The Auburn University Interior Design program takes a comprehensive approach to design. We know that well-designed spaces can inspire us, motivate us and make us feel better. And these human scientists even know how to make spaces healthier.

You’ve seen powder and brushes used at crime scenes on TV, but what about in real life — in your own living room? The work of human scientists isn’t quite like CSI, but through the science of design, fluorescent tracers and black lights can create a realistic simulation that shows how these disease-causing pathogens are spread throughout the places in which we spend the most time.

With that knowledge, we can design better spaces that limit the burden of disease and help make sure our indoor environments are the safe havens we trust them to be. This type of interactive experience prepares the next generation of human scientists to consider all the ways their designs will improve quality of life. And with your help on Tiger Giving Day, we can purchase the supplies required to bring this invaluable learning experience to life.