It was in the Coordinated Science Lab where Hari Ramasamy (’05) was inspired to devote his life to research.
“It also happens to the building where I passed my Ph.D. prelim exam and final thesis defense, and shared many memorable moments with fellow CSL students, staff and professors,” says the Austin-based IBM senior manager/senior technical staff member and NYU adjunct associate professor.
“One eagerly anticipated weekly ritual then at the CSL was the Friday noon pizza from Papa Del’s, that was made available to students at a subsidized price of $1 per slice, thanks to the generosity of the professors.
"Way before Grubhub.com or Doordash.com, CSL had its very own online pizza ordering system for this weekly event. You had to make your order by 10 a.m. Friday, because that is the time at which the system consolidated all the individual orders and came up with a tally.
“The tally was communicated to Papa Del’s by a CSL volunteer — ‘the pizza admin’ — and the pizza would get delivered by noon.
“My other fond memories of the campus are relaxing or hanging out with friends at the Illini Union with its distinctive and inspiring decor.”
