Purdue Makes Space for Brainstorming
(photo courtesy Purdue University)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowPurdue Boilermakers have a knack for creating “Maker Spaces” to drive innovative thinking, according to Great Value Colleges, a website that gauges colleges to help families choose the best fit for students.
The online site ranked Purdue University number 4 in the top fifty universities in the U.S. offering dedicated space to allow a group of people to brainstorm, collaborate and share ideas beyond the classroom.
"They encourage creativity and novel approaches to global problems," GVC Editor Julie McCaulley.
GVC credits Purdue for making several investments to create specific space on campus to allow for creative thinking. It points to the Bechtel Innovation Design Center, opened in 2017, to allow students to create projects and products that could have real-world implications. The 31,000 square foot facility is open to students 24/7.
GVC also acknowledges the BoilerMAKER lab and the Purdue Foundry which help spur entrepreneurship and innovation. Makerspaces often have cutting edge equipment, like 3D printers, to help with projects.
The website says maker spaces not only cater to high-tech thinking, they can also include a specific space to support the arts. "A college needs to be able to do this with technologies, the arts, and its personal philosophy to be included in this list," McCaulley said.
Purdue was the only Indiana University to make the list, which you can click here to see.