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Have you ever stopped to watch the world population clock grow by the second? If you haven’t, visit this site: http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ . Watch for a while and then ask yourself, “how do we feed all of these people?” When you see the rate at which the world’s population is growing, you quickly realize that there is a desperate need to learn as much as possible about plant and seed science. Also, to understand how these staples of human and animal life can be modified and altered to create healthier, heartier and more robust grains and vegetables used to feed the world. According to one website, more food must be produced in the next fifty years than has been produced in the last 10,000 years combined to sustain this vast population! This question of feeding the world has been the subject of much debate for some time. Agricultural resources are quickly becoming more scarce. Acreage is diminishing and is becoming overrun by urban sprawl. The fact that crops are now being used for a variety of other purposes, such as biofuels and other industrial purposes further exacerbates the crisis. The solution? Create crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat that produce increased yields. Crops that are more resistant to disease, insects, and drought. And now you ask, “how do we do that?” One answer is Phenomics. Phenomics is an area of study that measures the physical and biochemical attributes of plants and tracks those as they change in response to environmental influences. Synthesis’ laboratory expertise spans the R&D, educational and corporate lab domains. Plant science and seed research laboratories are passions of ours. An example is the Controlled Environment Phenotyping Facility on the Purdue University West Lafayette campus. This facility will contribute to and help push forward this interesting and much needed research. https://ag.purdue.edu/plantsciences/phenotyping-2/ Our past experiences in the areas of Agronomy and Agriculture science labs sets us apart from virtually all firms in Indiana. We understand the science and we understand how you want to work in your labs.

Jennifer Byrer has been with Synthesis for 2 years. Jennifer provides high-level administrative support to Synthesis President, Jenelle Smagala and others within the office. She's an integral part of our team on a daily basis and an indispensable part of the office. What do you enjoy doing on your free time? Cooking, playing/snuggling with my cats, spending time at my family’s lake house, and spur-of-the-moment road trips with my guy. What makes you proud to work at Synthesis? I’m so very proud to be a part of and contribute to the success of a woman-owned business! What is the best professional advice you’ve ever received? Take criticism for what it is: a gift! It’s an opportunity to better yourself and/or your career. What did you want to be when you grew up? Does it reflect what you are doing now? A veterinarian. Not even close! What inspires you? I’m inspired most by those who have been dealt a rotten hand and yet have chosen to overcome it and live life to the fullest, despite their situation.

Levi Coffin House, Fountain City: In 1839, Levi and Catharine Coffin built this Federal-style, eight-room, brick home as a safe haven for slaves as part of the Underground Railroad. It is estimated that more than 1,000 slaves reached safety. The house was referred to as “The Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad.” It was designed so that most rooms had at least two ways out, there’s a spring-fed well in the basement for easy access of water, and storage garrets on the side of the rear room made for convenient hiding places. The Levi and Catharine Coffin Interpretive Center, opened in December 2016. Richmond Wayne County Convention & Tourism Bureau

Ryan Mills, AIA, NCARB, CDT has been with Synthesis Incorporated for nearly 6 years. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Architecture and Masters in Architecture at the University of Cincinnati. With experience in diverse project types, Ryan leverages a wide knowledge base to bring comprehensive and strategic architectural solutions to client’s complex problems. What is the most rewarding part about being an architect and why? I don’t feel like I am going out on a limb by claiming that “architecture” is many things to many people, and I am no exception. However, my favorite of many definitions may be one that identifies architecture quite generally as the design of our built environment. It’s this profound influence that drew me to the profession, but, often, it’s the day-to-day engagement that is most rewarding. Seemingly, every day I get the opportunity to stretch and grow through varied challenges and exposure to diverse ideas by means of a decision-making process with a team of respected peers. How do you define success? I put quite a bit of emphasis on two values, personal growth and respect. Therefore, I find it rewarding when a project has two results. The first is exposure to a new client type, building technology, or project delivery method that grows my knowledge. The second, is the opportunity to leverage that knowledge to solve a complex problem with an elegant solution. What is the best professional advice you’ve ever received? One of the first few days of architecture school, a graduate assistant asked each of us in the studio why we chose to go into this profession. After each of us had identified our reason, he told us to always remember it, because there would be challenging times in our career (including school) when we would need to lean on that motive. What have you gained from working at Synthesis? Six years ago, I could have read and re-read the AIA’s A101 and B101 contracts and still struggled to understand the roles and responsibilities within the construction industry. Therefore, the depth and breadth of experiences I have had with Synthesis have been the difference between book knowledge and working knowledge. What do you enjoy doing on your free time? Like many my age, an interest in the growing market of beer and brewing has led me to pursue certification as a judge in the subject. A handful of times each year, I get to spend the weekend tasting and judging both homebrew and professional competitions. My favorite categories to judge are the fruit, spice, herb, vegetable, etc. styles as they often provoke conversation about new and experimental ingredients and techniques. When I’m not judging or brewing for competition, I enjoy catching shows at several theatres in and around downtown Indy. One of my favorite events of the year is the IndyFringe Theatre Festival every August.

The first cast-in-place panels were set this week at the site of the new state-of-the-art Controlled Environment Phenotyping Facility at Purdue University. This project began with the analysis of an existing study and the validation of the required work flow and process. Our implementation of the study criteria resulted in the creative solution and use of materials for the exterior envelope. "This will be one of the first facilities in the country capable of imaging full height corn." As a part of Purdue University’s “Big Moves” program, over $20 million is being invested in the College of Agriculture for plant science research and education. One of the newest innovations in plant science is phenotyping. This quantitative measurement of a plant’s physical traits can help researchers determine ways to improve a plant’s viability for growing in different climates, under varying conditions, and with a variety of fertilizers. This new controlled environment facility will allow highly uniform growth conditions for precise control and replication of experimental variables that cannot be easily controlled in the field. Researchers will be able to study a range of environmental and atmospheric conditions, watering, plant nutrition, and soils, all while testing additional variables such as the effects of chemical applications. In addition to the benefits to plant biologists, the facility will also offer a cross-disciplinary work space for continuous R&D around new imaging sensors, phenotyping methods, experimental design, statistical analysis, and algorithm development. An interplay between public and private sector institutions and an emphasis on entrepreneurship will further enhance the unique capabilities of the facility to move plant sciences research forward. This new facility will be one of the first of its kind to house growth rooms and imaging chambers capable of working with mature, full-sized corn plants. #PurdueUniversity #Phentotyping #BigMovesProgram #ControlledEnvironment

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) are an alternative for the traditional nursing home by offering independence and continued care within one facility or community. Residents move into these communities when they are still able bodied and as they age they can age in place and receive medical care as it becomes necessary that continues as long as they live there. This research and design project examines using a downtown location as a vessel for a CCRC, specifically Indianapolis, Indiana. There are several senior communities throughout Indianapolis, but the majority are within the suburban or rural areas. This typically lends itself to a sprawl effect that minimizes the feeling of community rather than enhancing it. Cities are inherently vibrant because of the density and multiple layers of amenities and services. Although locating a CCRC in an urban setting certainly helps aid in the activity level in and around the community, it cannot save it from being like any other retirement home. The question that must be answered is how can architecture promote interaction between seniors and their environment? This project examines architecture’s impact on the interaction of seniors with other residents and their interaction with the building and greater community. To learn more about this project and the prospect of senior living, please contact us.

Synthesis is proud to be a part of the new Levi and Catherine Coffin Museum, Interpretive Center as it opens its doors today! The state historic site is managed by the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. The new Interpretive Center supports the Levi and Catherine Coffin Museum, one of the nation’s most significant surviving Underground Railroad sites. The Levi and Catherine Coffin House was the home of prominent anti-slavery activists Levi and Catherine Coffin. In the years preceding the abolition of slavery, this home sheltered more than 1,000 freedom seekers and later became known as the Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad. The Interpretive Center is located on the original Seybold-Price property, next to the Coffin house. Because the 1836 Seybold-Price home had fallen into disrepair, it was carefully disassembled and reconstructed to maintain its historical appearance from the street. The Interpretive Center utilizes the original facade design, salvaged windows and re-purposed wood flooring. The 2,875 square foot, LEED-certified Interpretive Center is universally accessible and will allow the Coffin home to be open to visitors year-round by offering: • Welcome Center • Additional Exhibits • Orientation [Presentation] Room • Resource Library • Reading Room • Gift and Coffee Shop • Public Restrooms • Staff Offices • Bus Parking