More than 40 percent of Cornell students spend time in Baker Laboratory Room 200 taking chemistry classes. And even more fill the 494-seat lecture hall for courses in other subjects, including American studies, biology, Classics, economics and government.

This fall, when students entered the room, they were greeted by a new, light-filled space and a photo celebrating the couple who made the long-awaited renovations happen, Drs. Dayal and Indurani Meshri.

The Meshri Family Auditorium opened this fall, after a $6 million renovation project that included gutting the space – which was last renovated in the 1970s — and installing new heating, cooling, windows, desks and chairs, as well as technology and electrical improvements.

“Baker 200 has long been a centerpiece of teaching at Cornell,” said Tristan H. Lambert, William T. Miller Professor and department chair in chemistry and chemical biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. “This renovation has made the auditorium into a spectacular, modern classroom with state-of-the-art technology and improved accessibility that will enhance learning for tens of thousands of students for decades to come.”

Read the full story on The College of Arts & Sciences website.