The Business side of CSI

Professor Tarrazo, finance wizard, CSI fan.

Part of my current task is a “road show” of sorts, talking to various groups around campus about the project. This eerily mirrors what one good friend predicted for my eventual career end-point: Dr. Brown the Science Clown. So as I ride my unicycle into various campus meetings, carrying posters of the new Center, I hear a lot of interesting feedback.

When meeting with our faculty union’s policy board (USFFA), I found an enthusiastic project fan in Professor of Finance, Manuel Tarrazo.

So I asked him, why are you a fan of the CSI project, Professor Tarrazo?

I do firmly believe this is a major development with clear implications for the business education of the future.

Despite the fact that he may not teach a class in the new project, he breaks it down as follows:

Symbiosis
The case of biotech has highlighted the necessity to mesh “the business of science” with “the science of business.” The new science complex will create oportunities to engage in that most forward looking approach to comprehensive business & science collaboration.

Keeping up with the Global Joneses
In Europe and many other parts of the world, business is reinforced and expanded with engineering to create “Industrial Engineering” degrees — these are pervasive is some countries. Although some of our partners and competitors are already set up to do these things, USF is not there yet. But the critical step in the right direction, the Center for Science and Innovation, is being taken.

Thank you for those insights, Professor Tarrazo.  Okay, I am globally jonesing for some coffee, so I’ll sign off for now. Coming up, the road show returns to LA — Beverly Hills even.

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A Major Endorsement from Silicon Valley

Intel's CEO, Paul Otellini

In recent communications with USF President Fr. Privett, Intel’s CEO Paul Otellini has expressed a fondness for the University’s primary capital priority.

For the future tech economy in both the Bay Area and the nation, we have a dire need for high performing science graduates. USF has an important role to play, and they’re making the right move with the Center for Science and Innovation.
— Paul Otellini

Mr. Otellini studied undergraduate economics at USF, graduating in 1972, and moved on to the Haas School of Business before joining Intel in 1974, only six years after the company was founded by Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce.  He spoke on American math and science education, and Intel’s plans in Asia, when he addressed USF’s Center for the Pacific Rim last year.

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A Nice Blast from The Foghorn

The University’s student-run newspaper, The Foghorn, has run a thoroughly reported piece on the Center for Science and Innovation.  Kudos to USF senior and Foghorn veteran Laura Plantholt.  Overall, I would say we/I have not gotten the word out effectively to the student population.  We had students in each department, circa 2004-2005, contribute to lab planning, and I’ve interviewed a bunch of students at other universities about what works and doesn’t work for them, but only recently have we built enough momentum to start getting the word out generally on campus.

I had one concerned student ask me “is this building going to take away from student financial aid?”  Ach! Not at all.  This fear underlines how much communicating we have to do.  The fundraising is so important explicitly because USF will not be taking funds from standard budget items like student aid, etc.  As we say in my cajun origins, funding for the new Center will all have to be lagniappe (lan-yap), funds raised on top of the standard budget priorities.

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Digital Design

Greg with some of his favorite computer anatomy at USF's 2004 Flash Mob.

To wet your appetite for this year’s Computer Science Night on December 9th , I’ve invited Dr. Greg Benson to join us — Greg is a Professor of Computer Science, and he was Chair of the department during most of our intensive building planning.  He served as one of two “deeply embedded” professors working on a weekly and sometimes daily basis on the planning process — specifically, Greg represented the “dry” sciences (computational in nature).

Q: What was the most fun for you in the building planning process?
Being given a blank slate was extremely liberating.  One of the rooms we have designed for CSI is specifically designed to support small groups and group discussions.  This advanced project space will allow for seamless transitions between seminar discussions and small group work.  This will be a tremendous learning environment for our students.

Greg was a leading voice in the design of the only modern space in Harney: the Michael Kudlick classroom, a unique computer science environment.

Q: What surprised you the most about it?
Being confronted with thinking about entire building was daunting.  However, the process was relatively smooth thanks to a great project management team at USF, some terrific architects,  dedicated faculty, and Brandon for interfacing between all these groups.

Q: What are you most excited about when you and your colleagues and students inhabit the new project?
A: I’m looking forward to being in a space that is not strictly straight corridors with offices and labs.  The CSI has a lot of open space an areas for interaction and for students to study.   I think the aesthetics of the new building will have a positive impact on the well being of the students and faculty.  A friend of mine who is a professor at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands recently visited and we were looking at pictures of his campus.  I’ve always been impressed by modern European architecture for being bold, I think that some of this style is captured in the CSI.

Q: You’ve mentioned some really cool technology you folks could use in the advanced projects space.  Can you talk us through this a bit?
The way we interact with computers really hasn’t changed that much in the last 30 years.  We still use keyboards and mice to transfer our thoughts to the computer.  Furthermore, in my field of Computer Science, the way we write and debug software hasn’t seen the same strides that we have seen in the increased computing power or the growth of Internet.  However, I think we are poised for significant changes in the near future.   For example, the iPhone with it’s multi-touch interface provides a much more natural way to navigate and control a device.  I think this technology and other more natural forms of human-computer interaction will change not only the way everyone uses computers, but it will also revolutionize the way scientists and mathematicians interact with computer programs and data.

Here is a popular video of larger-scale multi-touch technology:

In particular, we are now considering ways in which we can outfit our small group spaces in CSI to incorporate multi-touch screens, allowing our students to better visualize, debug, and understand their software.

Wow!  No wonder the Computer Science majors never sleep.  Minority Report here we come.

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Getting Dressed for the Party

With Fall Fest coming up this weekend, starting with the elegant California Prize Dinner to honor Alice Waters tonight, good old Harney Science Center thought it was best to dress up a bit.  Even though it’s a black tie event, Harney, for the first time in 43 years, opted for some color.  The banner is based on an artist’s rendering provided by NBBJ and a creative split  layout from USF’s own designer Dale Johnston.

Harney Science Center in a two-piece (photo by Dale Johnston.)

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Architects Answer

Many thanks to the team at NBBJ for carefully considering these questions from the gallery.

Inside NBBJ: primary office in Seattle, WA.

Q:  What most attracted NBBJ to this project?
A:  Two things attracted us to the project.  First, the scholarly tradition of a Jesuit education was very powerful.  We believed that there would be a sincere interest and a great partnership in creating a project that would really make a difference for the school. Second, the values of the University and the Firm were so aligned.  USF’s mission is “Educating minds and hearts to change the world”.  NBBJ’s mission is “To shape a future that enhances life and inspires human potential and spirit through design”.  How much better could that crossover get?

Q:  What was the biggest surprise?
A:  For us, it has been the level of openness, trust, transparency and collaboration amongst all of the USF participants that have been a part of this project.  Everyone at USF is into this project in the most positive way!  It is so much easier to design well in that atmosphere.  It makes the project fascinating and motivating every day.  Learning, creativity and collaboration soar in those kinds of extraordinary circumstances.

Q:  How did your team try to mitigate interrupting views on lower campus?
A:  Consideration of views to, from and along the Center for Science and Innovation was key to our process as the project will inhabit the geographic center of the campus.  As such, the project will be at the epicenter of social activity.  To preserve and enhance the visual and physical connectivity in this area, the team observed and mapped the existing circulation pathways as well as the visual “markers” such as the Church.  Once complete, we overlayed programmatic elements to identify those that could occupy upper and lower levels so that the volume of the enclosed spaces on the ground floor would be as minimal as possible.  With this information in hand, we used 3-dimensional and physical modeling tools as well as photorealistic renderings to analyze optimal shapes that would sculpt the site in ways that preserve view corridors that are accentuated by pedestrian movement.

A westward walk through the future of main campus, with the new Center on the right.

Q:  Will there be grassy spaces for students?
A:  Yes, absolutely.  One of our earlier observations was the frequent use of Harney Green as a gathering place.  The project provides a wide range of landscaped areas that provide places to rest on the grass, sit on a bench and/or commune with nature.  In some ways, we have preserved the spirit of the Green and enhanced it by expanding its use beyond a lawn… it’s an outdoor ecological classroom intended to highlight regional planting palettes and attract local bird species.  To maximize opportunities for enjoying the outdoors, we have also placed a grass roof over the largest teaching space.  You will be able to meander from the tree-lined Campus Walk right on to the roof!

Q:  For an architect, what is the most exciting result in this design?
A:  The results will come when the building is in place and a true Center for Science and Innovation is born.  More than anything else, we look forward to observing how the building transforms a culture by facilitating life-changing experiences and learning opportunities (both planned and unplanned!)

Huzza!   For those of you attending the California Prize Dinner tomorrow, look to meet some of the NBBJ team, as they’re joining us in celebrating service and the common good.

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