The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), the University of Michigan (U-M) and Delta College (Delta) are collaborating to develop an interdisciplinary innovation and education hub “to inspire the workforce of tomorrow and create sustainable pathways that will have a positive impact on the environment and society.”
Content adapted and excerpted from a joint press release.
The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), the University of Michigan (U-M) and Delta College (Delta) are collaborating to develop an interdisciplinary innovation and education hub “to inspire the workforce of tomorrow and create sustainable pathways that will have a positive impact on the environment and society.”
The education hub will accelerate Dow’s and Delta’s focus on building the workforce of tomorrow and innovating for sustainable solutions in the Great Lakes Bay Region through the promotion of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education while also supporting creative and targeted solutions to address many of the community’s complex needs. It will be enabled by a grant of $4 million from The Dow Chemical Company Foundation and a grant of $2 million from The Dow Corning Foundation, both over a three-year period, toward the construction of a new Delta campus building in downtown Midland.
“This collaboration will empower teachers and students to develop sustainable solutions to address local, regional and global challenges, while cultivating a robust manufacturing workforce pipeline – efforts that build on our commitment to the Great Lakes Bay Region,” said Jim Fitterling, CEO-elect of Dow.
The newly constructed facility will include science and computer labs, classrooms, advanced educational and training technology, special use training rooms, multi-purpose rooms and labs, student services and administrative space. The facility’s enrollment is expected to reach 700 students at the new Delta Midland Center. With a construction timeline estimated to take 12-18 months, Delta College is aiming to break ground by fall 2019.
Additionally, Dow and U-M announced the inception of the Andrew N. Liveris Innovation Institute, a collaboration to provide Midland area teachers with an immersive learning environment of focused programming in the areas of advanced manufacturing, sustainable innovation and global citizenship. The Dow Chemical Company Foundation will provide funding in the amount of $1.5 million to U-M over a three-year period toward staffing and programming in support of the Institute’s mission.
As part of the Innovation Institute, Dow and U-M will also create Dow Innovation Fellows, a program designed to develop robust, applicable and educational experiences for Midland area teachers and high school students. Dow will share its expertise in manufacturing and sustainability and provide access to cutting edge manufacturing techniques. U-M’s Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research (CEDER) will provide access to expertise on education topics including curricular and instructional design and professional support for research-based teaching and learning. Dow Innovation Fellows builds upon the long-term and successful Dow Sustainability Fellows Program, an academic program established through a partnership between Dow and U-M for the preparation of future leaders to make a positive difference in organizations worldwide.
