Meyer Memorial Trust grant enhances science education
For OSU chemistry, biology, and life sciences students, laboratory exercises are the key to fully understanding core concepts in science and its applications. Thanks to a $700,000 grant from Meyer Memorial Trust, students on campus and off will have new opportunities for these essential learning experiences.
In the new Linus Pauling Science Center, grant funds will augment teaching laboratories, two of which are being designed to allow off-campus students to observe and even participate in lab exercises. The Meyer Memorial Trust grant also is expected to outfit a 200-seat teaching auditorium with advanced presentation technology and infrastructure, permitting students in the auditorium to observe experiments conducted in science center labs.
"Because so much of science is about observation and measurement, the hands-on component is the most important part of this kind of learning," said Sherm Bloomer, dean of the College of Science. "Modern technology can make the learning environment much more dynamic: you can visualize molecules in three dimensions, for example, or call up information immediately. We wouldn't be able to provide these educational tools without the Meyer Memorial Trust's support."
The Meyer Memorial Trust is pleased to be a partner in this critical educational venture, said Doug Stamm, the trust's CEO. "The Linus Pauling Science Center will provide opportunities for many of Oregon's future doctors, pharmacists, environmental and food scientists, and science teachers to gain fundamental knowledge and skills. With distance learning capabilities, it has potential to benefit people across Oregon."
