The Bridge for Laboratory Sciences
Opened in 2016, the Bridge of Laboratory Sciences is our newest building and was built with sustainability in mind with bird-safe windows, solar protection systems, and solar panels. It is home to 6 teaching labs, lecture halls, research labs, as well as the chemistry and biochemistry departments. The building is a common study space for students and also contains the Bridge Cafe, a popular lunch venue.
Grand Challenges
⭐ Grand Challenges
Grand Challenges is a five-year initiative of curricular innovation, faculty development, and community engagement at Vassar College. The aim is to foster inclusive excellence in STEM education by valuing the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives.
Research
The Grand Challenges initiative offers research, community-engaged learning, leadership, and course work opportunities that are specific to it’s inclusive STEM education goal. Research opportunities can take place within the lab, in the field, or even in the local community. The Grand Challenges Program can help connect you with faculty whose area of expertise and interests are connected to yours. Funding for research is also available to students.
Community-Engaged Learning
Community-Engaged Learning allows students to obtain academic credit by partnering with local organizations, non-profits, or other approved organizations. Some examples have been the Poughkeepsie Farm project, which works on growing fresh fruits and vegetables for the local area and cultivating sustainable practices. The Citien’s Climate Lobby deals with lobbying congress to control CO2 emissions; the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater works to preserve and protect the Hudson River.
Leadership
Leadership opportunities are available through the student Catalyst groups that support students in science and math classes, such as our Catalytic Cafe program that brings faculty and students together to talk about their experiences both in and outside of Vassar. Or join the Student Teacher Engaged Pedagogical Partnership (STEPP) program jointly organized with EPI, a semester-long partnership between a professor and a student centered on teaching and learning.
