SCIENCE CENTER

Science Center

Welcome

Welcome to Science Center Building Operations! Our team maintains and manages the physical building in support of the teaching and research mission of Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. 
We are here to help! Contact us for any of your facility-related needs.

 

Building Operations' Responsibilities

  • Oversight of the building's utility services
  • Building safety equipment
  • Energy and sustainability management
  • Building access and environmental control systems
  • Customer service to support all Science Center students, faculty, staff and other visitors
  • Ensuring operations of the building and supervising structural/building systems including installations, repairs/upgrades
  • Oversees work and work order tracking programs
  • Implementation of all modifications plus installation and qualification of all equipment
  • Developing building operating policies
  • Management of control systems to ensure efficient, safe utilization of the facility
  • Serving as the center for coordination of activities related to energy management, environmental health and safety (EH&S) and Control Systems
  • Establishing annual operating budgets, and generating and submitting for review all capital proposals and all outsourcing projects
  • Oversight of trades and custodial services personnel, security, and Dining Services
  • Participating in planning with community to ensure infrastructure and resources are available to support ongoing and planned programs
  • Aiding in development of policy for building operations including space assignment, security/keying, maintenance and renovation, mailroom/receiving, lecture hall and classroom support, laboratory utilization, purchasing and inventory
  • Working closely with the Office of Physical Resources & Planning and the Office for Sustainability staff to implement best operations and maintenance practices and to participate actively in FAS greenhouse gas and energy reduction efforts and goals for the Science Center
  • Overseeing safety and security functions
  • Coordinates with Security and Campus Services on "Shelter in Place" policies and procedures for the building
  • Providing oversight and reporting in response to fire, security, and other alarms

 

Building Operations'  Services

  • Ensure staff provide the best possible customer service and support to all clients
  • Coordinates the needs of tenants regarding renovations
  • Act as consultant on design of educational facilities
  • Processing requests for repairs and upgrades
  • Scheduling of all non-departmental classrooms, lecture halls, and public space in the Science Center
  • Management of key and card access to the building and offices as well as department door unlock schedules
  • Environmental control systems lost-and-found, and pest control for the building
  • Oversight of trades and custodial service personnel
  • Serving as the center for coordination of activities related to energy management, environmental health, and safety (EH&S)

 

Contact Us

Building Operations

Director of Libraries, Museums and Affiliate Facilities

Joel Day
Science Center  B11.20
617-495-2653
jdayl@fas.harvard.edu

Science Center Security (Securitas)

Alpha Station, Command Center: 617-496-9370

Building Hours and Address

Building Hours
Everyone with a valid Harvard ID and a Science Center departmental clearance on their ID can access the exterior doors of the building 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Here is the exterior door schedule for the Science Center from today, June 22, 2026, through Friday, August 7, 2026:

  • Monday-Friday 6 am-10 pm: All exterior entry doors are unlocked.
  • Saturdays: all doors locked. Anyone with a valid Harvard ID (without a Science Center department clearance) can access the building from 8 am-10 pm.
  • Sundays: only the East Entry doors by Oxford Street are unlocked from 10:45am-4:15pm. This is to accommodate the Putnam Gallery, which is open from 11 am-4 pm. Anyone with a valid Harvard ID (without a Science Center department clearance) can access the building from 8 am-10 pm.

    Campus Address
    Science Center
    1 Oxford Street
    Cambridge, MA 02138

Location on Google Maps

Presto Work Order Request Form

For non-emergency facility maintenance requests, submit an online work order request through the PRESTO work order system. Sign in with your Harvard ID and Harvard Key to access the site. Select a Building, Location, and Problem from drop-down menus; provide details of the problem; click "Submit Work Request."  PRESTO work order entries are reviewed daily  and assigned to the proper person(s) for completion.

PRESTO Work Order Request Form