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Features: Dec. 17, 2001
HUD Grant Funds Community Partnership
Effort
Rensselaer has received a $400,000 grant
from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to
organize a Community Outreach Partnership Center in the
City of Troy. The goal is to revitalize Troy's neighborhoods
and infrastructure, promote the use of technology in math
and science education, and bridge the "digital divide"
through job and technology training.
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"Our goal is ultimately to make
a difference for community residents—but on their
terms, not ours."
— Nancy Campbell—
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This grant builds upon four independent
Rensselaer projects: the Public
Service Internship Program, the
Troy Community Networking Project,
the Neighborhood Renewal Initiative, and efforts
to create Web-based, culturally oriented design tools
to encourage underrepresented minorities to study math and
science.
"Our goal is ultimately to make a difference
for community residents—but on their terms, not ours,"
says Nancy Campbell, assistant professor of science and
technology studies (STS) and director of the center. "We
have worked to build participation, self-definition, and
empowerment into each component of the grant."
Barbara Nelson, project manager, will serve
as co-director while Branda Miller, associate professor
of electronic arts, will coordinate the infrastructure;
Frances Bronet, associate professor of architecture, will
coordinate the neighborhood revitalization efforts; and
Ron Eglash, assistant professor of STS, will oversee the
culturally oriented design tools.
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