Learning Resources

Abstract: Many institutions have legacy STEM facilities that no longer support their teaching, research, and sustainability goals. The University of Virginia's (UVA) Gilmer Hall and Chemistry Building project provides valuable insight into planning and operating a major renovation for STEM disciplines. This project has strategically repositioned UVA's main science buildings for better outcomes in teaching, research, and high-performance sustainability. Come learn how to balance cost, function, aesthetics, and sustainability in developing the most effective planning and design solutions for major STEM renovations, as well as actively manage these facilities to fully leverage their new capabilities.

Abstract: Science and engineering programs continue to grow and attract funding. Strategic planning can maximize new and repurposed space for STEM programs to address aging infrastructure, changing research, evolving student needs, and an uncertain future. To build stakeholder consensus and develop an achievable plan, we'll define key metrics behind the best use of existing space and showcase how specific data-driven tools and analytics transform traditional planning into a living masterplan. By applying a living masterplan and embracing data-driven tools, you'll be able to reach stakeholder consensus sooner and develop more efficient plans that are both implementable and adaptable to future changes.

Abstract: With campus space at a premium and industry investment on the rise, institutions are developing flexible research facilities beyond their core campus to accommodate evolving technology. The key to maximizing these spaces lies in integrated planning and design. This session is an exploration of the planning process behind Carnegie Mellon University's (CMU) new Robotics Innovation Center (CMU-RIC), an ambitious off-campus facility that includes aerial, aquatic, and outdoor robotics testing spaces. We'll investigate how a collaborative planning and design process aligned diverse stakeholder interests and identified core priorities in the development of a highly-adaptable research facility.

Abstract: Campus science and tech buildings are crucial for research, hands-on learning, and development of a skilled STEM workforce. Institutions, and small colleges in particular, must leverage these campus resources to stay competitive while facing the impact of birth rate drops. This session will explore creative solutions for bringing state-of-the-art science and technology environments to your college campus in the race to recruit and prepare students for careers in a technology-driven society. Join us to learn how other mid-sized, regional colleges have solved the problem of creating consensus, space programming, and the institution's role in delivering successful, modern STEM learning environments.

Abstract: Affordable and accessible higher education is key to upward mobility and community transformation, especially for many rural and remote suburban communities that have limited access to resources. In this session, we'll explore the potential synergies between existing community colleges and their satellite locations. How can institutions drive community-engaged development in places that really need it? Is it better to build on existing assets or to build new? Discover how a community charted its own path toward a new college campus by organizing, passing a bond, and ultimately developing a tech-enabled, high flex learning environment with community space.

Abstract: The constraints that universities face in terms of capital, declining enrollment, and surplus capacity in campus facilities causes escalation of deferred maintenance costs. The University of Kansas (KU) master plan focuses on the value and impact of right-sizing the campus through change management and the implementation of a data dashboard. This session will share a sustainable path to establish a culture of transparency in decision making, stakeholder engagement, and environmental stewardship. We'll outline a data-driven process and lessons learned for leveraging resources, enacting policies that enable change management, and meeting the challenges of implementing a bold cultural shift.

Abstract: In the face of unprecedented changes, Middlesex College is tackling pressing issues to stay relevant by conducting community outreach, developing partnerships to address workforce changes, supporting non-traditional students, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). We'll share how Middlesex went beyond enrollment metrics and traditional master planning strategies with an innovative plan that involves the county and community in supporting a variety of campus and regional initiatives. Come learn how you can apply innovative approaches at your institution to transform long-term academic and master planning while leading cultural changes?internally and externally?and prepare your campus for a post-pandemic world.

Abstract: Universities are complex organizations that must align many different types of plans to maximize success. Integrated planning is vital to the master planning process because it requires support of all university constituencies. This session will describe how integrated planning and the development and implementation process of the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) master plan enabled ETSU to receive external support of more than $400 million for new and renovated capital projects over the past decade. We'll share how to plan across units, gain constituency support, take steps for project proposals that gain state support through competitive approval processes, and ensure the master plan is the foundation for university growth.

Abstract: Portland State University's (PSU) integrated planning process involved multiple departments, coalesced institutional and strategic goals, bolstered educational and industry ties, and focused on diversity to dismantle barriers within STEM disciplines. PSU pioneered a planning and design process for its new science building that amplified underrepresented voices to diversify the STEM workforce, dramatically shifting design outcomes and student pathways. This session will address how institutions can prioritize broad engagement in planning, and how foregrounding input from underrepresented groups can alter preconceptions and reveal the challenges that exist in institutional operational norms that inhibit student success.

Abstract: Water-related disasters pose a serious risk to an institution's mission, physical assets, and reputation. While the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Galveston is largely resilient to its harsh weather conditions, some critical threats remain. Its challenging path to water resilience serves as roadmap for other institutions seeking to mitigate risk and increase safety. This session will discuss UTMB's in-place campus climate resilience, its remaining challenges, how its revised master plan sets the course to mitigate flood and water service risks. Join us to discover how this ambitious but practical journey is applicable to all institutions subject to water-related events.