During a recent open house in the Virginia Tech University Libraries’ Newman Library, faculty, students, and community members were introduced to opportunities to discover, envision, and invent in Newman's studio network.

The technologies and creative spaces available in the 3D Design Studio, Fusion Studio, Media Design Studio, Data Visualization Studio, Virtual Environment Studio, and Data Transformation Studio are some of the latest learning tools on campus that can help bring ideas to life, enhance research, and create new knowledge.

"The studios exist because we believe that creativity is as critical a skill as literacy," said Patrick Tomlin, director of learning environments for Virginia Tech University Libraries. "We also believe that well-designed learning spaces can be tools to shape meaningful interactions, make innovation tangible, and spark community."

The open house included tours of the studios and discussions with students and faculty who are using the spaces for research, entrepreneurial endeavors, and other collaborative and creative projects.

Anyone can visit the studios and learn about new technologies from expert studio staff. Students and faculty need no previous knowledge of the studio technologies and tools; studio staff are experts and can provide hands-on training and education in such areas as 3-D printing, virtual reality, and transforming complex data to be accessible and visually understandable.

"Recognizing that the process of learning can be just as important as the finished product, the studios emphasize hands-on, informal learning driven by thoughtful conversations and, whenever possible, peer-to-peer teamwork,” said Tomlin. “We aspire to provide expertise, but we also want to make experts out of those who come into our studios.”

To learn more about the studios in the University Libraries Newman Library, visit https://lib.vt.edu/spaces/studios.html

 

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