The Station's main "laboratory" is the reef and that is where
most of the work takes place. Two laboratory buildings with
relevant equipment complement this unique resource. Raymond E.
Purves Laboratory This building has been supported by the
Raymond E. Purves Foundation since its construction in 1991. It
was extended and refurbished most recently in 2007. It now
comprises four air-conditioned rooms, a large ambient room with
running seawater and wet benches, and a large covered breezeway.
Researchers who need to do messy work such as dissecting fish,
sorting through rubble, chemically preserving specimens, or
assembling bulky items of field gear are generally allocated
space in the Purves Lab. The large ambient room and the
breezeway are ideal for these purposes and this is the only area
on the station where fixative chemicals are allowed. Three of
the air-conditioned rooms provide general lab and office space
nearby for these researchers. The fourth airconditioned room can
be made completely dark and has a