MU College of Arts and Science - Changing the World Through Critical, Creative Thinking
CHANGING THE WORLD THROUGH CRITICAL, CREATIVE THINKING.
TTeaching students how to think critically and creatively unlocks a world of boundless opportunities brimming with potential.
That’s what we do here every day.
At the College of Arts and Science, we search for solutions by embracing our curiosity and encouraging students to pursue answers and solutions.
By studying the past, the present, and the future, our students and faculty are moving in one direction together: toward solutions to the grand challenges we face.
The College of Arts and Science explores what it is to be human and to strive for a better world by:
• Developing cancer-fighting radiopharmaceuticals to save lives
• Understanding the economic impact of floods and extreme heat
• Debating government policy without the fog of political division
• Evaluating brain health and human behavior to guide us to a future free from addiction
• Studying the fossil record to understand our role in the life of our everchanging planet
• Analyzing data to determine factors affecting athletic performance
• Building confidence by elevating stage presence and performance
• Embracing artistic expressions of ourselves and the world around us
• Addressing housing shortages through sustainable, community-based approaches
• Designing inclusive apparel for wheelchair users
Nowhere else at Mizzou can you find the same rich variety of studies, and yet — regardless of the discipline — all of our students build from the same core. They learn how to critically approach problems, understand the human condition and the physical world in which we live, and find creative solutions to whatever challenges they face. And every student on campus takes an A&S course during their time here, and often more than one. We’re critical to the important work of a well-rounded Mizzou education. Thanks to meaningful educational experiences inside and outside of the classroom, when A&S graduates move to the next step in their lives, they have tools for success wherever their careers may lead them.
We don’t let anything stagnate our enthusiastic curiosity, and with your support, nothing will slow our progress toward our mission of improving lives and communities right here in Missouri and beyond.
The University of Missouri College of Arts and Science
THE FUTURE OF ENERGY
The next big advancement at Mizzou is the upcoming Center for Energy Innovation. Our nation needs new approaches to rising energy concerns. Through the new Center for Energy Innovation, the University of Missouri is committed to tackling these issues. The College of Arts and Science, College of Engineering and the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources stand together at the forefront of this dynamic evolution in energy.
Through this center, we will achieve breakthroughs in sustainability, resilience and energy performance for Missouri and the world. This deep collaboration between our colleges will form an ecosystem of faculty, postdocs, graduate students and undergraduate students that will bring new perspectives and ideas to explore innovative ways to create generational change. Alongside significant investments from the research and impact-focused approach of MizzouForward, we’re taking our research far past the lab and out of the realm of theory. We’re moving America forward and building a better world.
The Center for Energy Innovation will be more than bricks and mortar, steel and glass. It’s the physical manifestation of a powerful idea – that people can come together and form new synergies with a singular goal in mind. We will bring together engineers, chemists, physicists and public policy experts to explore innovative ways of addressing energy challenges, creating a pipeline of talent for the future.
CHANGING THE WORLD THROUGH CRITICAL, CREATIVE THINKING.
The Center builds upon existing work in areas such as:
• Sustainable aviation fuel
• Advancing battery technologies
• New energy-efficient electronics
• Hydrogen research and the hydrogen economy
• Small modular nuclear reactors
• Nuclear-engineered materials
• Grid security and efficiency
• AI-optimized energy distribution
• Improving industrial energy efficiency
• Understanding the economic impact of advances in energy science
• Developing policy that brings innovation to the world
We’re dedicated to finding the solutions that society needs to thrive, and we need you. Your investment will be critical to the success of the new Center for Energy Innovation.
CHAMPIONS OF STUDENT SUCCESS
The College of Arts and Science offers the widest range of methods and opportunities for students to explore their strengths and passions. Thanks to our reputation for excellence and meeting the highest academic standards, no matter where they go, an A&S degree prepares our students to make the most of their next step.
We provide the tools and environments to inspire creativity and make big ideas a reality, and your support will help us not only continue to provide them but expand what’s possible. With unique hands-on learning experiences and specialized student support services, our scholars go beyond a strong foundation and are ready to pursue their greatest aspirations.
That’s why our graduates include a who’s who of leaders in their field, including:
• Utku Asuroglu, Guggenheim award winner
• Marcia Chatelain, Author and 2021 Pulitzer Prize winner in history
• Andrew and Peggy Cherng, founders of Panda Express
• Carissa Culiner, Emmy-Nominated TV host and award-winning radio personality
• Tim Kaine, U.S. Senator
• Jim Simón, scientist and entrepreneur, co-founder of IsoTherapeutics
• Beth Snyder, founder of 1canoe2 and Handker
• Terri Speiser, President of DKNY Sportswear
Graduates of the College of Arts and Science have the skills employers are seeking, including strong communication skills, collaborative work experiences, and the ability to solve problems. To ensure that our students capitalize on these foundational skills, we invest in career development so that our students are prepared for the careers of today and tomorrow. Your support will provide access to discover career pathways, internship and career building opportunities, undergraduate research experiences, and study abroad programs. Your generosity will make you a partner in our mission of educating leaders of the future.
STEM ADVISING HUB
Part of providing a quality college education is ensuring our students have the support system they need to thrive. Our students are introduced to their advisor during their summer orientation, so they know who to turn to from the start.
A&S academic advisors provide guidance on academic planning, course registration, and opportunities that complement academic and career goals. Advisors also are available to discuss matters beyond registration, including ways to broaden academic study and career-readiness through study abroad, internships, undergraduate research, service learning, as well as participation in campus and community organizations. Advisors assist our students with navigating the vast array of campus resources available, such as tutoring, career services, and support for health and well-being.
Our next step is to provide our STEM students with an upgraded advising experience. Student success is at the forefront of a renovated STEM advising space on the first floor of the Chemistry Building. Bringing together students in chemistry, biology, physics, geology, mathematics, statistics, and data science enables a dynamic support system of academic advising, peer advising, mentoring and career development. The STEM Advising Space joins other similar investments, including the advising and student success space on the first floor of Lowry Hall, which supports A&S students across a range of majors.
When students have the resources they need to thrive in the classroom, they can stay committed to their major. Advising is crucial not only to their college careers, but their ability to stay on track to meet their goals and join the workforce as well-rounded members of society. It’s just another way the College of Arts and Science helps the state and the nation meet their most important workforce needs.
EXPERT TRAILBLAZERS
We pursue meaningful progress in our research and creative endeavors. With our diverse range of skills and our robust connections across campus, we are a catalyst for high-impact collaborations. Upholding our land grant mission, we strive to extend the reach of our discoveries and creativity to benefit all Missourians and beyond.
Given the wide range of disciplines we represent, the work we do in A&S is interdisciplinary by nature. The earliest forms of life and the widest reaches of the universe, developing cancer-fighting radiopharmaceuticals, tackling addiction, harnessing energy, creating effective public policy, expressing joy, trauma and grief, and discovering what it means to be truly human – all of it and more are being studied by our faculty, graduate students, and post-docs.
The university is poised for growth, and now is the time. MizzouForward is the boldest investment in our history. This transformational effort is currently underway and includes investments in developing and rewarding our high-performing faculty and staff, recruiting faculty with exceptional research backgrounds, new and renovated spaces and instrumentation for research and more.
The University of Missouri College of Arts and Science
It’s not just important for the university as a whole; it’s a key pillar for the future of Mizzou Arts and Science, as well. This includes growth in facilities and people — research leaders with a passion for collaboration and the vision of a better future.
Ensuring essential support is paramount. Attracting top faculty requires competitive compensation, startup funds, and access to research facilities. Retaining outstanding faculty and staff already within our community requires performance-based salary increases and comprehensive support services.
Your contribution can guarantee that our faculty members possess the necessary resources and space for success, impacting numerous lives in Missouri, the United States, and globally. Your generosity could recruit the next trailblazer to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence, cancer treatment, or energy innovation.
What you start here has the potential to change the world.
MOVING FORWARD INTO A BRIGHT FUTURE
The MU College of Arts and Science continues to invest in our mission to serve our state and nation by educating Mizzou students, advancing research and creative work, and engaging Missouri and beyond. Our goal is lofty, yet simple: The College of Arts and Science seeks to improve lives and communities both in Missouri and around the world.
We hope you’ll join us on our journey. Let’s improve lives – together
