Keeping STEM students in Indiana: A new vision for our state’s future
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As STEM leaders with experiences that cross sectors, we see first-hand the impact a thriving university in Indianapolis can have on our state’s future.
For the past 50 years, the partnership between Indiana University’s Indianapolis campus and the business community has grown exponentially. Not only has the university thrived as a student-centric educational institution, but it’s also developed into a research-intensive campus where respected faculty and curious students probe the limits of human knowledge and serve the community in countless ways.
Now, as IUPUI prepares for the transition to IU Indianapolis, the School of Science on IU’s urban campus is poised to generate new opportunities and contribute to a modern Hoosier economy in new ways.
Here’s what that looks like:
Tailoring educational programs to workforce needs, IU Indianapolis will further integrate its science programs with the School of Medicine and other allied health science schools on campus. By more strongly linking the School of Science and IU’s leading medical school, we’ll improve the pipeline for future physicians and health care professionals to establish their careers in Indiana.
We can also be a catalyst for expanded research collaboration with local STEM-related businesses. In addition to health sciences, School of Science graduates are well-positioned to contribute to talent pipelines across a range of disciplines, including chemistry, biological science, environmental and earth science, forensics and investigational science, psychology, neuroscience, physics, and mathematical science.
The School of Science will also be at the core of the recently announced IU Science and Technology Corridor on the Indianapolis campus, creating further opportunities for industry, research and aspiring STEM students. This bolsters the already strong investment from the Indiana General Assembly that will shape expanded and renovated research laboratories and classroom spaces to provide state-of-the-art facilities for the scientists of the future.
School of Science researchers Bonnie Blazer-Yost and Teri Belecky-Adams are already providing a preview of the research leadership that Indianapolis can expect from IU Indianapolis. They are directing $11.7 million in U.S. Department of Defense research to develop the Hydrocephalus Research Center on the IU Indianapolis campus to study hydrocephalus, a common complication with both premature birth and traumatic brain injury.
The SciTech Corridor and the increased pipeline of STEM students at IU Indianapolis will also enable the success of startup technology companies launching in Indiana. In addition, ongoing engagement with existing companies and firms — such as Indianapolis-based The Heritage Group, whose HG Ventures incubates 10 STEM-related startups per year — will provide other pathways for the School of Science to meet the state’s workforce needs, creating opportunities for STEM graduates to remain and thrive in Indiana.
Finally, state investment will also equip the university to attract at least 30 new STEM faculty.
As members of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the School of Science, we strongly support the vision and plans announced by Indiana University for this next chapter for current and prospective students, as well as academic faculty in the IU School of Science at IU Indianapolis. Drawing on innovative leadership, the future of IU Indianapolis is exactly what Indiana needs to prime the state to attract and retain STEM students, draw STEM-based companies to the city and enhance the entrepreneurial atmosphere for creating tech-based business in our state.
This article was co-authored by the IU School of Science Dean’s Advisory Council:
- Stephen Freeland, council chairperson; CEO, Cancer Care Group, P.C.
- John Lechleiter, chairman emeritus, Eli Lilly and Company
- Mike Wells, , chairman, Hylant of Indianapolis, LLC
- Helene Cross, former president and CEO, Fairbanks Hospital
- Parveen Chand, president, Ascension St. Vincent, North Region
- Sibel Selcuk, executive vice president, The Heritage Group
- Eric Tinsley, regional vice president, MuleSoft
- Christina Bodurow, deputy director and chief operating officer, AViDD, Stanford University School of Medicine
- Christina Beymer, director, Indiana State Department of Toxicology