College of Arts and Sciences : Centers and Institutes

The Center for Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE) provides a vehicle for enhancing materials research and education at the University of Toledo. To accomplish this, the CMSE facilitates collaborative research and educational activity on the University of Toledo campus, with Bowling Green State University, other educational institutions, and regional industry.

The Center for Visual Arts (CVA), designed by architect Frank Gehry, houses the UT Department of Art on the campus of The Toledo Museum of Art. The large windows and skylights provide the interior with dramatic lighting, while also providing exciting views across exterior space to other portions of the building. The CVA Gallery is the home of student and faculty art exhibitions throughout the year

The Geographic Information Sciences and Applied Technology (GISAG) center focuses on regional and community issues, environmental protection, land use planning, economic development, site characterization, and resource mapping. The GISAG center is a focal point for GIS research and graduate certification programs.

The Instrumentation Center supports research activities to faculty in the colleges of Arts & Sciences, Engineering, and Pharmacy by providing advice, technical assistance and access to advanced scientific equipment.  This includes education and training for graduate students. The Center specializes in Crystallographic studies and is the home to the Ohio Crystallographic Consortium (OCC).

The Lake Erie Center is an interdisciplinary research and education center for aquatic conservation, bioremediation and restoration, coastal zone processes, environmental chemistry and hydrology, ecology and ecosystem management, fishery genetics, geography and land use planning, bioeconomics, limnology, remote sensing, and environmental monitoring. Research at the Lake Erie Center explores the linkages among land use, aquatic resources, and water quality.

The Ritter Planetarium/Brooks Observatory houses a star projector capable of reproducing the sky as seen from anywhere on the Earth at any time, and speeding up time to show how the sky changes through the course of a night, week, month, or year.  It is ideal for displaying constellations and planets. The planetarium frequently hosts public events in its 40-foot auditorium.

The Stranahan Arboretum is a 47-acre site that consists of cultivated ornamental trees, rolling lawns, natural woods, ponds, wetlands, and prairie.  It serves as a field site for environmental education and research, and hosts educational programs for area school students throughout the year. The arboretum is open for public tours during May and October, when spring wildflowers and fall foliage are in full color.

The Writing Center works with undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff on writing projects on any topic. Writing Center tutors work collaboratively with writers to generate ideas, organize notes and thoughts, and instill transferable skills that will help them not only on one paper, but also on future assignments.