Schenectady, New York, September 9, 2021 –– The Museum of Innovation and Science (miSci), the Capital Region’s largest science museum, and Clarkson University, a private, national research university and a leader in technological education, have formalized a partnership to advance informal and formal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education.
Under the leadership of Clarkson President Tony Collins, miSci Chairman of the Board Neil Golub and miSci President Gina C. Gould, this partnership comprises several initiatives including a collaboration among Clarkson’s Institute for STEM Education, its Master of Arts in Teaching Program and miSci’s creative team to develop immersive, hands-on exhibits and to deploy STEM experiential programs for students and teachers alike.
The current agreement calls for a three-year commitment. As part of the partnership, the staff, faculty, and students at Clarkson’s Capital Region Campus located at 80 Nott Terrace, Schenectady, just across the street from miSci, will all become Museum Members so they may enjoy all that it has to offer. Clarkson’s Graduate School will hold some of their engineering classes in the Museum’s newly renovated classrooms.
“We are thrilled to work together with miSci to provide a robust program in engineering, the digital arts, education, and business that will ignite the way teachers and students engage through STEM in the classroom and how people of all ages learn complex ideas,” said Tony Collins, President of Clarkson. “The launch of this partnership reflects our commitment to creating educational experiences that drive the entrepreneurial mindset, knowledge and intellectual curiosity needed to innovate world-relevant solutions and to drive opportunities for the City of Schenectady to continue its legacy as a place where innovation thrives.”
“Neil Golub’s visionary guidance as miSci Board Chair has allowed the Museum to explore new and innovative ways to engage with our community and build new partnerships, leading to this exciting collaboration,” stated miSci President Gina Gould. “We are grateful for his leadership and will continue to seek out additional opportunities as we expand our relationship with Clarkson.”
Founded in 1934, miSci is a center for learning, imagination, and creativity. It is housed in a 44,270-square-foot facility that includes gallery space, the Suits-Beuche Planetarium, and classrooms. The Museum’s collections and archives include more than 15,000 science and technology artifacts, and more than two million photographs documenting the history of electricity, electronics, and the impact of technological change. Each year, the Museum receives over 1,500 queries from researchers around the world. This includes requests from elementary school students, teachers, college students, professors, Ph.D. students, writers, and major media companies. miSci’s collections and archives are often featured in the Museum’s exhibitions and programs.