Cross-disciplinary collaboration got a rocket boost at Carleton in 2018, when a STEM Board was established to foster increased dialogue among both staff and faculty members working in science, technology, engineering, and math—and between all departments across the college. Computer science professor Amy Csizmar Dalal served as the 15-member group’s first director, and this fall chemistry professor Matt Whited will take the reins. He recently spoke with the Voice about the board’s future.
Why were you interested in this job?
When you’re immersed in your own teaching and research, it’s easy to lose sight of how you fit into the big picture at Carleton. I’m psyched to work with folks across the STEM disciplines because I find different perspectives so inspiring.
Carleton is also a longtime leader in STEM education: Just look at the seven consecutive Howard Hughes Medical Institute grants we’ve received and the innovations that emerged from them. It’s no exaggeration to say that Carleton’s STEM program is the envy of many of our peers.
What do you want the STEM board to accomplish?
I want to build enthusiasm for cross-departmental collaboration to build community in an inclusive and multi-disciplinary way. The college did a phenomenal job in creating the integrated science center, and I think we all—students and faculty and staff members—want to cultivate a community of learners, by teaching about and learning from people who think differently. This is a hallmark of liberal education.
How has the pandemic shaped STEM at Carleton?
One of the things we have seen during the pandemic is that science struggles without a humanistic perspective, and places like Carleton can be vital in helping people develop integrated and nuanced views. Last summer, biology professor Rika Anderson ’06 and history professor Tony Adler ’06 teamed up to host a salon focused on the history of vaccines, judicial rulings on mandates, and vaccine resistance. Moving forward, I’d love to see more of that kind of thing.