Summary of Outreach Activities for the Rocky Mountain Regional Biocontainment Laboratory
February, 2002 - A resolution was unanimously approved by the State Board of Agriculture (today the Board of Governors) that authorized the University to file an application to the National Institutes of Health for funding to construct the Rocky Mountain Regional Biocontainment Laboratory.
June 17, 2003 - The Board of Governors approved the program plan for construction of the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory.
January 29, 2003 - "Notice of Public Disclosure," declaring the university's intent to secure funding for the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, was published.
September 30, 2003 - The university's Department of Public Relations announced a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to construct a Regional Biocontainment Laboratory. The announcement included a press release and extensive media coverage.
January 19, 2005 - University representatives met with Larimer County commissioners. During the meeting, commissioners discussed the Location and Extent Review for the laboratory, Larimer County Commissioners; presentation of the RMRBL building plans by the Colorado State University Facilities director and vice president for Research to county commissioners.
May 14, 2005 - University representatives presented a short talk about the RMRBL and biocontainment to a community group in neighboring Eaton, Colorado.
June, 2005 - A NIAID award was announced for the funding of the Rocky Mountain Regional Center of Excellence, a $41.7 million award to support research projects in Region VIII of the United States Public Health Service network, with the lead institution being Colorado State University. Many of these funded projects are to be conducted in the RMRBL. A press release was prepared by the university's Department of Public Relations to announce the award.
October 3, 2005 - University representatives presented RMRBL plans at the first annual meeting of the RMRCE scientists in Fort Collins.
November 20, 2005 - A groundbreaking ceremony marking initial construction of the RBL was held on site at the Judson M. Harper Research Complex. Participants included Senator Wayne Allard, Colorado State University President Larry Penley, NIAID representatives and local dignitaries. Stories were generated in local and regional newspapers.
December 2, 2005 - Senator Ken Salazar and his staff visited the Judson M. Harper Research Complex, and were briefed about the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory. The local newspaper ran a story about Senator Salazar's visit.
March 15, 2006 - University representatives presented RMRBL plans to a visiting delegation from USAMRID.
March 24, 2006 - University representatives visited Christian Barnard, D.V.M., Ph.D., and other leaders at the Wadsworth Center, State of New York, Department of Health, Albany, NY. The group shared information about best practices, and exchanged ideas and approaches.
May 19, 2006 - Visited University of Kentucky manufacturing facility, Lexington, KY. Presented RMRBL to manufacturing staff and faculty.
June 8, 2006 - University representatives provided tours of RMRBL construction site for 20 local and regional scientists attending a Burkholderia workshop at Colorado State University.
June 9, 2006 - The university hosted four researchers from Montana State University. The group toured the RMRBL construction site, and visited with the construction manager and facilities project manager.
June 20, 2006 - University representatives met with representatives of Colorado BioScience Association and Colorado State's vice president for Research to discuss the positive economic impact of RMRBL and RMRCE on the region and state.
August 17, 2006 - University representatives presented the RMRBL design to the Duke construction group at the Duke RBL, Durham, NC. University representatives toured the Duke facility and visited with their construction team.
Aug. 25, 2006 - University representatives gave a tour of the RMRBL construction site to a biotechnology group of about 25 people from a US/Canada cooperative group. The tour was part of BioWest meeting.
Sept. 15, 2006 - The university gave a tour of RMRBL construction site to eight members of The Group Realty, one of the largest real estate firms in Fort Collins. The tour helped the realtors become informed about and comfortable with research and security at the facility.
October 2, 2006 - University representatives gave a 20 minute presentation about the RMRBL to the annual meeting of the RMRCE in Salt Lake City, UT.
Oct. 13, 2006 - The university gave a tour to 6 members of the Group Realty, another large real estate company.
October 24, 2006 - The university gave a 25 minute presentation of RMRBL plans and procedures at the National RBL/NBL/RCE meeting in Washington, DC.
Oct. 31, 2006 - The university gave a tour of RMRBL construction site to eight people from the University of Alabama/Birmingham who are building a Regional Biocontainment Lab.
Nov. 1, 2006 - The university gave a tour of RMRBL site for national and local Centers for Disease Control leaders and the university's vice president for Research.
Nov. 10, 2006 - The university gave a tour of RMRBL construction site to 25 engineering students and faculty from University of Wyoming, Cheyenne, WY.
Jan. 4, 2007 - The university gave a tour to university administrators including the vice presidents for Research, the provost and other administration staff.
Feb. 7, 2007 - The university gave a 40 minute presentation about RMRBL to 75 people at Fort Collins Rotary Club. The group includes some of the cities strongest leaders.
March, 2007 - Regularly scheduled tours of the facility started for Colorado State University faculty, staff, students and their families. One to two tours were conducted every Friday afternoon in groups no larger than 10.
March 6, 2007 - The university gave two tours to university faculty, staff and students (21 people total).
March 12, 2007 - The university gave a 25 minute presentation as Plenary Speaker to Tradeline at the International Conference on Biocontainment Facilities in San Diego, CA.
March 16, 2007 - The university gave a tour to 4 visiting project managers from the Chicago RBL.
March 20, 2007 - The university gave a 20 minute presentation about the RMRBL to University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada.
April 6, 2007 - The university gave a tour to 9 office staff, graduate students and microbiology faculty.
April 27, 2007 - The university gave a presentation about and tour of the RMRBL during a meeting of Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health. Attendees included representatives from Department of Homeland Security, National Wildlife Research Center, Agricultural Research Services, Northcom and CDC.
April 24, 2007 - The university gave a presentation and tour to visitors from the Pittsburgh, Penn., Regional Biocontainment Laboratory.
May 4, 2007 - The university gave a tour to 8 faculty and staff from Colorado State.
May 11, 2007 - The university gave a tour to 8 faculty and staff from Colorado State.
May 16, 2007 - The university gave a 30 minute presentation about the RMRBL to the Larimer County Medical Society Board.
May 17, 2007 - The Colorado State University Web page, Today@ Colorado State University, announced the availability of additional public and university staff tours.
May 18, 2007 - The university gave a tour to 9 faculty and staff from Colorado State.
May 21, 2007 - The university gave a tour to 11 staff members of the National Wildlife Diseases Laboratory.
May 25, 2007 - The university gave a tour to officials from the Colorado State University Research Foundation and the associate vice president for Research at the university.
May 28, 2007 - The university gave a tour to 8 faculty and staff from the university.
June 1, 2007 - The university gave a tour to 12 faculty and staff from the university.
June 30, 2007 - A private tour and interview were given to Laura Bailey, reporter for the Fort Collins Coloradoan.
June 3, 2007 - An article appears in the Fort Collins Coloradoan describing the facility and the availability of tours to CSU faculty, staff and students and indicates that public tours are planned for the future.
June 4, 2007 - The university gave a tour given to 9 veterinary students in summer research programs.
June 8, 2007 - The university gave a two tours given to 21 students, staff and faculty from the university.
June 19, 2007 - The university gave a tour and presentation given to 6 visiting members of the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences.
June 22, 2007 - The university gave a two tours given to 18 faculty, staff and students from the university.
June 26, 2007 - A tour is given to 26 students and one faculty member from Frontiers in Science, a summer High School Enrichment Program from near-by Greeley, Colorado.
June 29, 2007 - Two tours are given to 19 students, staff and faculty from the university.
July 2, 2007 - The university gives a tour and presentation to visiting staff members from Beckman Instruments, Palo Alto, California.
July 6, 2007 - The university gives a presentation to Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, administration and staff about our RMRBL.
July 10, 2007 - E-mail correspondence received from a resident of The Ponds, a group of homes to the south of the RMRBL. The resident indicated that the lights shining on the exterior of the building were too bright and requested more information about the activities being planned in the building.
July 12, 2007 - The director of Colorado State University Facilities responded to the resident, indicating that the lights would be investigated and encouraged a meeting with the homeowners.
July 13, 2007 - Two tours are given to 16 students, staff and faculty from the university.
July 18, 2007 - The university gives a presentation to Loveland Rotary Club.
July 19, 2007 - The university adjusts exterior lights at the construction site.
July 20, 2007 - The university's facilities staff, biosafety director and RMRBL director met with a representative of the Ponds Home Owner's Association for a discussion and tour.
July 24, 2007 - A tour for 10 faculty, staff and students from the CSU Animal Sciences Department is given.
July 23-26, 2007 - The university continues an e-mail exchange between the Ponds Home-Owners Association providing an about the light adjustment and and encouraging a meeting and tour for the HOA Board.
August 14, 2007 - A tour for 4 staff members from the university President's office is given.
August 20, 2007 - A tour for 4 members of Senator Ken Salazar's office is given.
August 28, 2007. A tour for three local health professionals; Doug Bjorlo of the Larimer County Health Department; Bob Peskind, M.D., Rocky Mountain Infectious Diseases Clinic, Poudre Valley Health System; Cory Carroll, M.D., Foothills Family Care and President of the Larimer County Medical Society is given.
September 7, 2007 - A tour for Colorado State Univeristy System Board of Governors and President Larry Edward Penley is given.
September 11, 2007 - A tour and presentation to 14 members of the Ponds Home Owners Association Board is given.
September 13, 2007 - A tour is given to the Board of Directors of CSU Ventures Inc.
September 20, 2007 - A tour for 17 microbiology graduate students is given.
September 24, 2007 - An e-mail is received from a resident of the Ponds expressing thanks for the tour and requesting for more light adjustment and noise abatement.
September 25, 2007 - A tour for 3 microbiology graduate students is given. A separate tour for a neighborhood veterinarian and 8 members of his staff also is given.
September 26, 2007 - A tour is given to a Fort Collins Coloradoan reporter.
October 2, 2007 - A ribbon cutting ceremony is conducted at the RMRBL site. About 200 people attend and the ceremony included talks by university dignitaries and Dr. Mike Kurilla from NIAID. A ceremonial ribbon cutting is followed by VIP and press tours and self-guided tours for participants. Press coverage was significant, including articles in the Fort Collins Coloradoan, Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, Loveland Reporter-Hearld, Greeley Tribune, Longmont Times-Call and other media outlets, including Denver television stations.
October 5, 2007 - A tour is given to two visiting faculty members, one from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and the other from NASA.
October 23, 2007 - A private is tour given to the former Fort Collins Mayor.
November 5, 2007 - Tours are given to 25 students enrolled in MB192, the freshman seminar in microbiology.
November 12, 2007 - A tour is given to 10 members of the Lab Animal Club of the veterinary students association.
Nov. 16, 2007 - A tour is given to members of the Colorado Legislative Capitol Development Committee and their spouses.
November 26, 2007 - A tour is given to members of the State of Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
December 7, 2007 - An announcement of the times and for open house events at the RMRBL is provided to and appears in the Fort Collins Coloradoan.
December 10, 2007 - The university and the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences also announce the open house times on public web sites.
December 13, 14 and 15, 2007 - The RMRBL was available for open house tours. Tours were given by faculty, staff and students to groups of 10-12. All together, 213 people participated in the tours. Participants included the director of the Larimer County Health and Environment Department, visitors from the Weld County Health Department, people from Longmont, Loveland, Eaton, Ault, Fort Collins, and several people who identified themselves as residents of the Ponds.
December 23, 2007 - An article appeared in the Fort Collins Coloradoan, describing some of the concerns of the neighborhood, and detailing steps taken by the university to communicate with the community.
