Harvard Real Estate (HRE) and Harvard's Planning Group will merge into a single organization on July 1, University officials announced last week.

The new organization, for which a name has not yet been chosen, will manage the physical assets of Harvard Real Estate within the context of the University's academic plans, according to Vice President for Administration Sally H. Zeckhauser.

As part of the reorganization, the position of HRE president, currently held by Kristin S. Demong, will be eliminated.

Zeckhauser said the merger represented "the natural evolution for these two organizations."

"It is critical that the University's physical environment move in ways that best serve Harvard's academic mission of teaching and research while preserving its unique heritage," Zeckhauser said.

The new organization will be headed by Harvard's Director of Physical Planning Kathy A. Spiegelman.

Prior to the merger, Harvard Planning provided design and construction expertise and Harvard Real Estate managed the nonacademic properties.

"As the University moves forward with its academic agenda, careful

The injured graduate student, whose name hasnot been released, is working under the directionof James G. Anderson, Philip S. Weld professor ofatmospheric chemistry. The group is researchingchlorine nitrate levels in the atmosphere.

Peter Bochnak of Harvard's Environmental Healthand Safety Department said the pair had beenfollowing all correct safety procedures, includingusing gloves, goggles and a fume hood. The burnedstudent immediately used a safety shower, whichcaused some flooding in the building.

"It was one of those quick flash fires thatbasically blows itself out," said Cambridge DeputyFire Chief Gerald Reardon.

"It was completely contained within the hoodexcept for the bit which leapt out and ignited acontainer of ethanol," Solomon said. "It's notlike the building was devastated or anything."

The postdoctoral student who oversaw theexperiment returned to the laboratory about anhour and a half after the explosion occurred,Solomon said.

Harvard officials are working to discover thecause of the explosion. According to Solomon, theflash fire may have been ignited by leaks,oxidation of one of the chemical compounds or anumber of other causes.

"Several of the post-doctorates and scientistsare investigating [the cause of the explosion],"Solomon said.

"They're sifting through the debris in the sink[under the fume hood] to find a cause," he said.