Kummer Institute
Annual Report
2022-2023
Shaping the Future
As each story in this report illustrates, the vision that inspired the $300 million gift from June and Fred Kummer in 2020 continues to transform how S&T prepares students to lead in the future.
As you’ll see, the gift from the Kummers makes it possible for S&T to engage with a range of individuals, organizations and communities. Each person, program and project you’ll read about in the following pages underscores the importance of the university’s commitment to STEM education for students and teachers across Missouri; the Kummer Institute’s emphasis on economic development which is particularly critical in a business climate where access to and knowledge of technology often determines who succeeds; and the university’s ability to support students in a foundational way — an important part of the gift from June and Fred Kummer.
STEM Outreach
The incredible team at the Kummer Center for STEM Education, for example, is introducing children to science, technology, engineering and math, while also introducing them to what our university offers in those areas, long before they start thinking about college.
Research Centers
At the same time, the research centers funded by the Kummer gift are strengthening the connections between academic expertise and real-world know-how in support of discoveries critical to our region’s ability to thrive.
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Q&A: AI expert — ‘A lot of hope and a lot of hype’
Dr. Donald C. Wunsch II In December 2022, Dr. Donald C. Wunsch II was named founding director of the Kummer Center for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems, an avenue…
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Building bigger teams to address bigger challenges
When Dr. Shelley Minteer decided to make a big career move, relocating not just herself, but also her lab, equipment and research staff, the power of the Kummer gift…
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World-class business insight from the Missouri Protoplex team
With only 25 employees but a customer roster that includes Lambert St. Louis International Airport, NASA, the FAA and many other government agencies, Masterclock, based in St. Charles, Missouri,…
Student Impact
The gift also is contributing directly to the success of our students. A recent analysis confirms something we’ve suspected for a while now: student engagement matters.
The opportunities we’ve created for Kummer Vanguard Scholars to connect with other students, explore a cross section of departments and disciplines, and learn from their personalized interactions with experts from a range of industries go beyond preparing future leaders who are curious and well-rounded and who take a bold approach.
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Unlocking the mysteries of the human brain
Inspired by TED Talks and driven to build happiness in addition to but beyond her role of mother and homemaker, Angela Rayle’s journey to S&T was guided by a…
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Conducting a symphony of scientific research
If you imagine the sciences as an orchestra with each scientific field representing a different musical instrument, you can begin to understand S&T Ph.D. student and Kummer Innovation and…
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Growing an entrepreneurial spirit
During high school in Troy, Missouri, Kummer Vanguard Scholar Dawson Jeffers launched his own business — three of them, actually — and he signed up for every STEM course…
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Wanting to see what’s out there
For Joseph Nguyen, being pushed — or gently nudged — in directions he may otherwise not have chosen is one of the top benefits of being a Kummer Vanguard…
Capital Investments
The ability to support students in a foundational way is an important part of the gift from June and Fred Kummer. It’s what we celebrate now, three years after receiving it, and it’s what we hope will be celebrated for generations to come.
In December S&T will open the Innovation Lab, the first building in the new Arrival District. Construction of the 32,000-square-foot Welcome Center is expected to be completed in 2025, and S&T recently broke ground for the Missouri Protoplex®, depicted above, right.
Visionary Leaders
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Board welcomes four new members
At its July meeting, the Kummer Institute Foundation Board of Directors elected four new members to each serve a four-year term with the possibility of one renewal. The board…
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Building a campus culture of entrepreneurship
Dr. Tim Faley became interim dean of the Kummer College of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development in March 2023. He is also associate vice provost for innovation, entrepreneurship and…