The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the new Student Innovation Centre at the Faculty of Science featured students (left), centre director Chris Fetterly (centre left), the Honourable Lori Sigurdson (centre right), and Dean Jonathan Schaeffer (right). Image credit: Vivid Ribbon Photography
More than 300 students, alumni, and donors celebrated the official opening of the Student Innovation Centre over Alumni Weekend, joined by Dean Jonathan Schaeffer and the Honourable Lori Sigurdson, Minister of Seniors and Housing, among other distinguished guests. Created to support extracurricular student projects, the centre is a cutting-edge interdisciplinary collaboration space built to help empower student creativity and bring their ideas to life.
Events, expertise, and creative energy
The centre spans more than 5,000 square feet across two floors in the Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science, outfitted in striking colours, furniture, and layout modelled after business incubators and startup offices that encourage creativity and innovation.
Inside the facility, students can make use of drop-in project space to plan or build their next prototype or book breakout rooms for team meetings. Some established groups have dedicated project space to support their activities, including AlbertaSat, which designed and built the first made-in-Alberta satellite. Students can also come together at regular events, including mentorship opportunities and skills and team-building workshops.
The staff of the centre are ready to help connect students to the technology and expertise across campus to turn their ideas into reality: a network that includes everything from 3D printers and virtual reality hardware to experts in science fields from machine learning to molecular biology.
"The Student Innovation Centre is more than the sum of its parts," said Chris Fetterly, director of the Student Innovation Centre. "UAlberta is a global powerhouse where students can do pretty much anything, and the centre exists to connect them to resources all across campus."
Supporting student success
Attendees at the opening night were able to meet some of the student groups already using the centre, as well as the staff that are helping support their projects.
"Students might start by attending one of our workshops or consulting with staff or peers," said Fetterly. "We want them to come on in and let us help them take the first steps with their ideas."
And students are taking those first steps in leaps and bounds. AlbertaSat is running mission control from their project space in the centre, and were able to treat guests at the event to a fly-over connection with their satellite Ex-Alta 1.
Other student groups using the centre include the UAlberta International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition team, using genetic engineering to combat the spread of diseases affecting honeybees, and SPEAR, a space robotics student group that built a Mars rover and and competed in the Canadian International Rover Challenge in Drumheller this August.
Another group of students, who are unofficially referring to their project team as VFarm, are starting to explore vertical farming techniques and are interested in creating a programmable growing environment for plants. Supporting students at these early stages, as well as established groups, is key to the philosophy of the new centre.
"Taking the first step in our centre takes different forms for students," said Fetterly. "They may be looking for support as they generate a new idea, or they might need specific technical expertise or business skills; we'll help them get it. Supporting that journey is why the Student Innovation Centre exists."
Want to learn more? Visit the Student Innovation Centre online and learn more about upcoming workshops and events or in-person in CCIS between the Biological Sciences Centre and the PCL Lounge.