Building Spaces for Science That Make a Difference

Tag: Building Spaces for Science That Make a Difference

Lawrence University, UW-Fox Valley Co-host National Assembly on Science Facilities

State-of-the-art science facilities at Lawrence University and the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley will be showcased Sept. 12-14 for more than 120 national academic leaders representing 30 colleges and universities during the “Building Spaces for Science That Make a Difference” assembly.

Lawrence and UWFox are co-hosting the assembly, which is sponsored by Project Kaleidoscope, a Washington, D.C.- based national alliance of faculty, administrators and other stakeholders committed to building and sustaining strong undergraduate programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The two institutions were selected as co-hosts of the assembly because of their proven commitment to education in the STEM fields. During the three-day conference, facilities at both campuses, including Lawrence’s three-year old $18.1 million, 78,000-square foot Science Hall dedicated to the molecular sciences and the 74,000-square-foot Youngchild Hall, which underwent a $10 million renovation in 2001, as well as UWFox’s 1998 science wing replacement, the recently opened Weis Earth Science Museum, Wisconsin’s official mineralogical museum, and the Barlow Planetarium, the state’s finest such facility, will be highlighted as case studies of science facilities that are successfully supporting student learning.

Assembly participants will focus on the seven “Cs” needed to successfully plan for 21st century spaces of learning: curriculum, commitment, community, comprehensive, conflict, cadence and cost.

The “Building Spaces for Science” assembly in the Fox Cities is one of 10 Project Kaleidoscope gatherings scheduled around the country during the next three months. The assemblies are designed to provide opportunities for STEM faculty leaders administrative colleagues and other stakeholders o share ideas and insights about what works in building strong undergraduate STEM programs and to set an agenda for action at the local and national level.