Browse Exhibits (5 total)
Florida State College for Women
In 1901, Florida State College offered three courses of study: classical, literary, and scientific. The Florida Female College, as FSCW was first called, continued to emphasize scientific education with physical, chemical, biological, and psychological laboratories. Certain courses, such as bacteriology and zoology, lasted only until the transition to FSU, when they were absorbed into more generalized majors.
FSU: The Early Years
Florida State's 1950 general education bulletin states one of the objectives for University education is "to understand the role of science and its implication for human welfare." The addition of male students armed with GI Bills created a new environment on the now-coeducational campus. Though they slowly began to outnumber females in the scientific programs, the students and professors who remained from FSCW reported a notable increase in funding, equipment, and research programs.
Research Growth
After receiving a $4.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation in 1968, Florida State University’s science program expanded further into the world of research. With the development of Innovation Park as a hub for research facilities to the south of campus, the University offered avenues for scientists near and far to collaborate on research and experiments.
Modern Science
FSU’s commitment to advancing scientific discovery has led to its reputation as a standout research institution in the southeastern United States. Interdisciplinary collaboration thrives at its many facilities. The Coastal and Marine Laboratory studies hurricane patterns and marine biology, allowing for a shared research space amongst anthropologists, biologists, geographers, and atmospheric scientists. Completed in 1994, the Mag Lab at Innovation Park is currently the largest and highest-powered of the world’s magnetic laboratories serving engineers, physicists, chemists, and other scientists. As Florida State pursues its combined mission of education and research, it will continue to shape the scientific community.
Student Organizations
Discipline-specific clubs and organizations have existed at Florida State since the late nineteenth century. These groups offer insight into the changing popularity of scientific fields over the years. Early clubs provided opportunities to interact socially as well as academically, while today’s organizations also offer targeted networking to directly support students’ chosen career paths.