Fairchild Campus

Welcome to the Science Village at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. The village is a three-floor building containing show piece lab spaces that are visible to the public. One such space is the Orchid Lab, home to the Million Orchid Project. Students work with volunteers and Garden staff members to propagate native orchid species for release back into urban and suburban Miami-Dade County. This lab space is replicated at our Richmond Campus.

The Microscopy lab houses an array of microscopes used to create stacking image files of the most minute structures in the plant kingdom. Students have regular access to this space and engage in studies to identify and characterize plant morphology and structure/function.

The DNA/Genetics Laboratory houses one of our two DNA Sequencers, our array of thermal cyclers, DNA extraction equipment, heaters, mixers, vortexers, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) hoods, ultra-low -80 deg freezers, digital micro-pipette banks, and more. This laboratory space is utilized by project partners and mentors from both Fairchild and local universities such as Florida International University to conduct research in collaboration with our students.

The classroom, overlooking the Rainforest opposite the Science Village, is designed to engage students in collaborative work and discussion. Teachers encourage students to engage in group learning and the critical thinking process.

The Multipurpose Lab houses a variety of equipment ranging from mobile sterile laminar flow hoods, mobile lab benches, both a PC & Mac computer array, and is home to the Growing Beyond Earth project racks as well as storage for the Million Orchid Project samples. This space has an industrial feel with exposed ceilings and concrete floors and is robust enough to be used to carry out research projects spanning grade levels 10 - 12.

Although simple, this room serves as the storage room for the Million Orchid Project samples that have been propagated in the Orchid Lab and are routinely monitored and cared for by students.