Shodor, a national resource for computational science education, will announced that they will be moving to a new, 8500 square foot, custom-built science education center at Golden Belt this coming September.
Since its founding in Durham in 1994, Shodor has been offering workshops, apprenticeships, and internships to students in and near the Durham area. Through new partnerships with local and regional organizations as well as continued support from the community, Shodor is now able to focus on expanding their other-than-school-time activities offered to students, upper elementary through college, in order to initiate encounters with the excitement of discovery, the power of inquiry, and the joy of learning enabled by cyberinfrastructure technologies.
Recently, Shodor has been the recipient of numerous awards including, the Alfred P. Sloan Award, the Durham Chamber Commerce Business Excellence Award, and was also named a "Best of the Web" resource by Shmoop, a national educational website for teachers and students. This year Shodor has also secured 1 million dollars in funding (from the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Education, and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund,) for the Computing MATTERS project. Computing MATTERS is a project spearheaded by Shodor and its partners, designed to build self-sustaining local infrastructures that enable students all over North Carolina and eventually the nation, to grow from excitement to experience to expertise.
Along with expanding programs comes the need for improved physical facilities. Along with expanding programs comes the need for improved physical facilities. Recently,Shodor was offered the opportunity to move to one of many vacated spaces in Research Triangle Park. As part of Shodor's dedication to the Durham community, however, the company chose to focus its search for a new location in the immediate downtown area.
"Shodor was born in Durham, and remaining at the center of such a vibrant, entrepreneurial area was important as we offer students the chance to be a part of a future they learn to build themselves," says Shodor Executive Director, Robert Panoff. Panoff added that Golden Belt will be a perfect complement to Shodor's creative energies.
Golden Belt provides Shodor the chance to continue to provide effective STEM education experiences for students at all levels, advancement for students from diverse backgrounds to positions of leadership, and a creative mentoring environment to the community in which they are so deeply rooted. The move to Golden Belt will also allow Shodor to remain easily accessible to the Durham community through Durham Area Transit and the new Bull City Connector bus route.
"Golden Belt's creative atmosphere is an ideal setting for Shodor to continue to foster the development of our future workforce," said Casey Steinbacher, president & CEO of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce. "The innovative way Shodor educates students and teachers has not only garnered national recognition, but has further solidified Durham as a forward-thinking community. We are so proud to have Shodor in Durham and are looking forward to the great things that will be accomplished in the new space."
"Scientific Properties is thrilled that Shodor, a national leader in math and science education, has chosen to stay in downtown Durham at Golden Belt," said Gary Kueber, Chief Operating Officer of Scientific Properties -the developer of Golden Belt. "Scientific Properties has been committed to science and technology entrepreneurship and education since we created the Triangle Biotechnology Center in downtown Durham in 2001. Golden Belt is downtown Durham's preeminent center for creative innovation; Shodor's mission of providing the tools that young people need to excel in math, science, and computing meshes perfectly with the intent of Golden Belt -to provide an environment in which creativity-whether it be in application of technology, business, or the arts-can thrive."
About Golden Belt Former home to the Golden Belt Manufacturing Company, the 158,000 square foot, seven-acre, LEED-Gold Certified campus in downtown Durham is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes six architecturally-significant buildings that house thirty-seven live/work residential lofts, thirty-five artist studios, a central gallery, technology companies, event space, retail, and additional Class A office space. The campus is at the epicenter of the growing critical mass of innovation in Durham's downtown. Since opening in July 2008, Golden Belt has become a go-to, must-have place for entrepreneurship, creative pursuits, and cultural events in the Triangle. Golden Belt is located at 807 E. Main Street, Durham, NC 27701.