The Future of Science at UM Dearborn

As the campus celebrates the opening of our newly remodeled science facility (now named the Natural Sciences Building) I thought it fitting for me to say something about our new facility. I cannot even begin to describe how radically our main science building has been transformed by this renovation. I could easily go on and on here detailing the number of research and teaching labs (there are 23), the character of our new classrooms they are leading edge), or the design of the building that enables us to showcase science live as it is happening. Indeed, that is exactly what I had planned to do. But then I received a truly inspiring email from my friend and colleague Dr. Marilee Benore. I found her description of the new building and its importance to this campus and our students to be immensely inspiring and so I decided instead to share some of her thoughts about this space with you.

As Marilee reminded me, my faculty colleagues in the Natural Sciences department, in keeping with a core value of a foundational liberal arts education, have always recognized that the smartest way to prepare future scientists, researchers and health professionals is by demonstrating and practicing the integration of the various disciplines. Rather than specializing in distinct and isolated areas and topics, the department has long demonstrated a commitment to collaborative teaching and research. Chemists work side by side with biologists, sharing teaching and laboratory strategies. Astonomers coordinate with physicists, bringing the excitement of the universe into everyday life. Crossing disciplines in CASL, behavioral biologists collaborate with students in psychology, geologists discover with anthropologists, and environmental scientists team up with screen studies faculty. In CASL, we long ago recognized what others are only noting now- problems are often solved by collaboration of individuals who think differently and bring distinct foundational theory to the problem. Students will be well grounded in foundational science, but able to converse with others, as they will have the advantage of a liberal arts core.

This is very obvious in the building that we are now opening. One of its salient features, for instance, is a new integrated Bio Physiology Lab-which will be shared by faculty and students across biology, the behavioral sciences, engineering, and the College of Education, Health, and Human Services! I cannot stress how path breaking this is: space is at a premium on every campus but the university and the NSCI faculty recognized the opportunities that would result from a shared collaborative lab. Students could bridge the gap in their understanding of genetics, behavior, and physiology, just to name a few areas. For example- Why is the hormone cortisol released after stress? Can we test the neurological and physiological markers that align and confirm that health issue?

Above all else, this building was designed to enhance that teamwork, and serve as a model for students. The collaborative spaces and recitation rooms were designed so that students could hone critical thinking skills and work with peers and faculty. The camaraderie of teamwork, the delight of solving problems, the support of peers, the mentorship of faculty and the joy that is borne with the recognition that you “freaking love science*”........ that will be the heart and soul of this building, and the legacy it will build.

Our science curriculum is a laboratory rich experience, that is best experienced when faculty themselves are in both the classroom and labs. Their presence in the lab allows them to mentor and nurture future scientists. The NSB contains everything we need to reach a broader and more diverse set of students. The addition of teaching labs means more flexibility in offerings, thus more convenience for all students: traditional FTIACs, working parents, and returning students. As another faculty member related, “I love the fact that we have nice big research labs; the one I have now is probably twice the size of my old one. Collaborative meetings with groups of students will be much more possible, given the space, the whiteboards, etc. Moreover, more than 1-2 students can be in there working at the same time and not run into each other.” Further, many of the classrooms include lecture capture technology, which will enhance our ability to use online tools. Online tools will allow more working students to complete their education.

The new labs were designed with the best in teaching and learning. Following the guidelines of Project Kaleidoscope on learning spaces, the labs were designed to be flexible- for future needs and changes in instrumentation. It will be far easier to engage students with the most updated tools of the trade. An example of this will be the iWorxs stations in the new shared labs. These modules can be used in the teaching lab and in research to study various physiological parameters.

The science of the future will not rely solely on individuals and discovery, but rather on teams comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds, who can work together to tackle and untangle scientific problems and offer promising new pathways forward. This building and its spaces for learning and discovery were designed to support faculty research and the success of our students in doing precisely that.
With that in mind, let me echo Chancellor Little’s heartfelt thanks to all of those who made this project a reality. The investment made in our faculty and students will be returned many times over to the university and the taxpayers of Michigan. I eagerly await all of the great things that this building will inspire.