In August of 2004, the USNA Chemistry Department moved into 52,000 sf of renovated office, classroom, laboratory and support spaces in Michelson Hall (named after Albert A. Michelson, USNA Class of 1873, first American awarded a Nobel Prize). This state-of-the-art facility contains multi-media equipped classrooms, ventilated work space for every student in the teaching laboratories and research space and instrumentation to support the activities of over 30 faculty members and 30 midshipmen conducting research projects each year.