The Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences—colloquially referred to as CIEMAS (pronounced "see-mas") —opened in August 2004 on the campus of Duke University. Research facilities focus on the fields of photonics, bioengineering, communications, and materials science and materials engineering. The aim of the building was to emphasize interdisciplinary activities and encourage cross-departmental interactions. The building houses numerous wet bench laboratories (highlighted by a nanotechnology research wing), offices, teaching spaces, and an Irish themed café Twinnie's. CIEMAS contains: a three-story, 10,000-square-foot (1,000 m2) atrium; 206-seat auditorium; 104,000 square feet (9,700 m2) of laboratory space; 10,000 square feet (1,000 m2) of conference space; and the Duke Immersive Virtual Environment (one of seven in the world). The construction of CIEMAS took more than three years and cost more than $97 million. The Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences is managed by Steven Winston Ellis.
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