San Jose has more STEM jobs per capita than any other major city in the US (by far). There are so many in fact, that we rely heavily on importing talent from all around the world to fill them. Even then there are over 50,000 job openings today in Santa Clara County. The demand has never been greater for another world-class University in Silicon Valley to help increase our talent pool for highly skilled workers.
Madison Nguyen mentions new legislation to scout for a future campus that would have a specific focus on "STEAM" education: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. She states that it is envisioned as a public CalTech at a far more affordable price. Hello, could there be any better location than San Jose for this?
I'll even add one more interesting suggestion that would sweeten the ROI for a UC San Jose, and that would be sharing resources with SJSU. Universities are expensive to build and maintain, so what if certain resources such as the MLK Library and Spartan Stadium could be shared between two world-class educational institutions and have operating costs split between them. Perhaps even some classes could be cross-listed, giving students at both Universities a greater range of educational options and electives. If there is one thing Silicon Valley is great at besides innovation, it's collaboration.
Read Madison Nguyen's opinion piece on UC San Jose over here.
Put it in downtown!
ReplyDeleteI'd agree =)
DeleteWhere would we put it? Where would we house people? How will it impact traffic?
ReplyDeleteWhat about around Diridon Station - way better than an A's stadium.
ReplyDeleteFirst time commenter. Love the blog.
ReplyDeleteIf there comes to be such a thing like UCSJ, I hope that it focuses on inter-disciplinary interaction for solutions.
Case in point, IKEA is making a new easily transportable shelter for refugees and disaster zones. What is different is that it includes aspects necessary for the 21st century such as USB ports and built-in lighting.
Imagine if young, brilliant minds from around the world converged together with mandates to solve such troubles. The sciences and humanities, working together.
What is special about San Jose is that it is in the nexus between the technology of the valley and peninsula, the manufacturing/fabrication of the East Bay, and draw of the California sun. UCSJ, in this guise, could attract students, connect them with industry, and go from concept to prototype to production. Perhaps in a graduate program. It could be start of having San Jose be the capital of not just tech, but the "Intellectual Industry".
Back in the 60's, Walt Disney envisioned a place where people can work, live, and play in a single community dedicated to designs for a better future for the world through the blend of science and humanity. That dream was EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow). UCSJ could be the first step to making San Jose such a place.
Great thoughts!
ReplyDeleteIt won't happen.
ReplyDelete