A Missouri S&T initiative to upgrade and renovate teaching and research facilities was among the items supported by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and state legislative leaders in the state appropriations for higher education for the 2023-24 fiscal year, which began July 1.

The initiative, known as “Advancing Missouri’s STEM Education and Workforce Development,” received $25 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support three projects:

• The addition and renovation of S&T’s Engineering Research Laboratory (ERL) to establish a teaching and research complex to support students, faculty and industry partners.
• Renovation of Schrenk Hall East to modernize classrooms and other teaching spaces for biological sciences and chemistry.
• Expansion of the university’s geothermal energy system to connect the ERL addition and three additional buildings: Harris Hall, Norwood Hall and Parker Hall. Since going online in 2014, S&T’s geothermal energy system has reduced utility costs by as much as $2 million per year. Expanding the system to include these structures is expected to further reduce utility costs in the future.

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“We are grateful for the support of Gov. Parson and our legislators for this important effort to upgrade facilities needed to ensure we continue to provide a world-class education for the future scientists and engineers of our state and nation,” says Missouri S&T Chancellor Mo Dehghani. “Their investment in this initiative is truly an investment in the future of Missouri.”

In addition to the ARPA funding for this initiative, S&T received $841,000 to support a project to improve workforce diversity through STEM education. The funding comes from the state’s MoExcels Workforce Initiative of the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development.

The state budget also includes $16 million from the Missouri Department of Economic Development to support Missouri S&T research on mining and refining critical minerals in Missouri. Critical minerals include rare-earth elements and other minerals determined by the U.S. Geological Survey to be essential to the nation’s economy, especially the energy and defense sectors.

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of approximately 7,000 students. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System and located in Rolla, Missouri, Missouri S&T offers 101 degree programs in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top 10 universities for return on investment, according to Business Insider. S&T also is home to the Kummer Institute, made possible by a $300 million gift from Fred and June Kummer. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.