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1. Why is a building like the new Michael B. Enzi STEM Facility an important addition to campus?The simple answer is that it provides enhanced learning and career opportunities for all UW students. Recent studies show that, by 2020, approximately 4 out of 5 jobs will require some STEM skills. All UW undergraduates, except possibly some transfer students, take freshmen- and sophomore-level STEM courses. Careers in the U.S. related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are projected to grow to more than 9 million by 2022. As James Brown, executive director of the STEM Education Coalition, puts it, “the future of the economy is in STEM. That's where the jobs of tomorrow will be." Additionally, collegiate STEM experiences are increasingly important to professional success, no matter the chosen occupation. Examples of professions in demand include the following: sales and marketing professionals with a familiarity and appreciation for STEM, professionals who can affectively communicate science and technology to the general public, humanities and social science majors whose understanding of the complex interactions among science/technology/the social world who can help create and maintain a productive culture for a company, teachers with both the content knowledge and the latest understandings of how students best learn who are critical to develop a workforce with 21st century skills, and art and music majors who can work with interdisciplinary design teams to enhance the aesthetic appeal and user experience of a new technology. It should be noted that it is equally important that STEM majors be broadly educated, which fits well with UW's land-grant liberal education mandate and its university studies program. Another key aspect is innovation and economic development. The most important advancements in our society—for example, functional MRIs to better diagnose illnesses, robots to improve manufacturing, safer transportation, enhanced oil recovery and clean fuels, more effective technologies for harnessing and distributing renewable energy resources, and new organic methods to control weeds or enhance crop productivity in drought conditions—originate in the minds of STEM-trained researchers and entrepreneurs. 2. What are some key aspects of the building that facilitate learning—particularly in a fashion not possible prior to construction of the facility?The building was designed to reflect several disruptive changes in how science occurs and how best to teach science. Science has been undergoing major changes. Since the 1700s, it was based primarily on the paradigms of theory and experiment. With advances in computational abilities, a new paradigm has emerged: computation. Scientific and technological discoveries are increasingly interdisciplinary endeavors. Finally, there are increasing demands upon science and engineering to address problems of societal significance. These are reflect in the design of the STEM building, including the following. Ten computational collaboratories are distributed throughout the building. Labs—for example, the organic chemistry lab—are designed with adjacent computational zones, experimental zones, and study zones. Two STEM suites support interdisciplinary teaching efforts between math and physics and between math and life sciences. The labs are designed with the latest technology to help facilitate student interaction and communication. Two suites are specifically designed for UW education majors to provide them with state-of-the-art training in math and science pedagogy. The labs—in particular the two physics studios—are designed to promote active learning. Here, there is no distinction between a lecture and a lab. Students discuss theoretical concepts, design and conduct experiments, and gain insight from computational simulations all in the same space and often within the same hour. The open atrium, glass walls that allow visitors to see into the labs, and study spaces promote interdisciplinary collisions, as well as provide an environment to “put science on display. 3. Now that the building has been in use for nearly one full semester, what have you noticed in regards to student reactions to the facility? How have they interacted with the space?I and my colleagues have heard great things from students about the facility. Comments include the following: “The learning environment is great.” “Working in a lab with natural light is wonderful.” “Being able to learn how to use state-of-the-art equipment as an undergraduate is tremendous.” “The Enzi building is a great place to study.” “The classrooms dedicated to teachers-to-be are giving me experience with the latest technologies and teaching tools.” “This should help me when I start teaching my own classes.” The space is also being used by undergraduate research teams, student clubs, and study groups. The Science-fitti evening was the night before the ribbon cutting, and 40 undergrads decorated the building with posters of student work, science and math formulas, STEM posters, and other things. Equipment available for users include Mondopads that are 11 large interactive touch-screen projectors used to give presentations, draw illustrations, search the internet, or hold teleconferences and the short-throw smartboard in the lobby for discussion of problems. Faculty encourage students to take ownership of the building by having the students help put up displays and other things. This not only builds community and helps the students learn but also is a way to keep the building pristine. Students are taking great pride in “their” STEM building. 4. What are the future aspirations for the STEM program? What do you anticipate a facility like this and programing of this nature will create for future generations?This is a complex question. First some clarification. UW has initiatives in engineering, science, and education. It doesn't have a true STEM program. However, STEM is central to each of these initiatives, and there are efforts to integrate these initiatives together to support STEM. The vision for the Enzi STEM building is to challenge and extend the literacy of students through integrated theory, experimentation, and computation with a flexible modern facility that supports the desire to learn and engage others to teach and to learn. The goals of the Enzi STEM building are to provide UW students with the crucial engaging STEM experiences needed for 21st century STEM careers, to give UW non-STEM students an appreciation for the importance of STEM through their labs taken in the building, to enhance recruitment and retention of STEM majors, and to educate the public about the role of STEM in the 21st century. So how do I anticipate the Enzi and the programs in the Enzi to impact future generations? The simple answer is: profoundly. In more detail, we anticipate that Enzi will be transformative. It will propel incoming students with STEM interests into deeper studies and more productive STEM-related careers; it will provide non-STEM major students with STEM familiarity that will help broaden career options; the awesomeness of the building, the displays, and the noise and sights of science in action will draw students to UW and into STEM majors; and the citizens of Wyoming will better appreciate and understand the ways that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at UW is adding value to Wyoming students education, building Wyoming's economy, and helping solve important societal problems. 5. Can you briefly highlight the importance of this space in terms of upgradable technology and learning spaces?This goes back to providing our students with the best learning experiences possible to enhance their career prospects and to promote innovation. Access to the latest technology—and the faculty who are doing cutting-edge research—provides students with a competitive advantage. Today, knowledge is just a “google” click away. As a consequence, deeper learning experiences in classrooms, with faculty, and pushing the boundaries of what one can do with the latest technologies is increasingly important.
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