Ursinus College dedicates new $29 million center

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More than 300 people, including members of the Ursinus and neighboring communities, as well as public officials and elected state leaders. (Image courtesy Ursinus College)
A new era for science education and undergraduate student research at Ursinus College is underway.
The college’s $29 million Innovation and Discovery Center (IDC) was dedicated on Saturday, Oct. 27 during a special public event celebrating the new interdisciplinary facility which, for the first time in the college’s history, combines science, policy and entrepreneurship under one roof.
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More than 300 people, including members of the Ursinus and neighboring communities, as well as public officials and elected state leaders, gathered for the official grand opening. Joe DeSimone, CEO and co-founder of leading technology manufacturer Carbon and a 1986 graduate of Ursinus College, delivered remarks during the dedication.
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“The IDC is where a lot of things are coming together, where disciplines are converging,” DeSimone said. “Solutions to some of the most complicated problems we have today involve disciplines coming together. We do that well here at Ursinus, where a broader contextual understanding—a quest—happens. That’s where the frontier is now.”
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DeSimone, globally recognized for his achievements in developing and commercializing advanced technologies in several cutting-edge fields such as 3D printing, precision medicine, nanoparticle fabrication and green chemistry, discussed “the power of innovation” and related how Ursinus’s IDC is a game-changer in preparing liberal arts students for jobs in these fields.
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The dedication was presided over by Rob Wonderling, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia and chair of the Ursinus Board of Trustees. Remarks were also delivered by Sen. John Rafferty and Rep. Ryan Costello.
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The IDC is intentionally designed to boldly reflect the college’s liberal arts legacy and further empower its faculty to educate future leaders in science and other professions as they prepare for the careers of the future. It includes collaborative spaces to further cultivate the concept of a shared, common experience, as well as technology-enhanced active learning classrooms; flexible laboratories that are easily configurable to suit specific needs of a research project; and open meeting and work spaces that bring together students and faculty from every discipline.
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“The IDC truly is a building of the future,” Ursinus President Brock Blomberg said. “Not only does it have a contemporary look, but it fosters science learning across disciplines, something that is essential to our changing world. It is a place where students can learn traditional concepts of biology, while also thinking about ethical practice, policy and the greater good.”
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