Academics

Sustainability, STEM, and Innovation

Overview

The Sustainability, STEM, and Innovation Department allows students to design and generate solutions to modern challenges facing our community on a small and global scale. Through a robust slate of extracurricular programs and interdisciplinary course offerings, all students at The Mount have the opportunity to engage 21st-century problems with the scientific method and/or universal design process, all while using the latest technology and equipment in modern lab spaces.

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Innovation Spaces and Equipment

List of 6 items.

Newly Renovated 21st-Century STEM Suite

On the first floor of St. Joseph Hall, find our newly renovated labs for sustainability, innovation, and science. All of our science classrooms are outfitted with the latest technology.
Innovation Lab

Newly renovated and equipped with three state-of-the-art laser cutters, three single extruder 3D printers, two dual extruder 3D printers, and one five-extruder 3D printer, as well as collaborative spaces, this room provides space for students to create and innovate. This space and equipment is used for class projects throughout the day, but is also open to students, free of charge, before and after school three days a week for personal innovation.
Build Lab

From miter saws to power drills to soldering irons, our Build Lab houses more than $25,000 of power tools ready to support build outs once students have passed the design stage. Used regularly by our Stage Crew, engineering class, and engineering-focused clubs, this space is available for all classes to sign out for interdisciplinary projects.
Sustainability Labs

The newly renovated lab is a hub for interdisciplinary work. Hydroponic gardening systems can grow up to 500 plants to support classroom experiments as well as food to be harvested and donated to our local community. A second lab houses our student-designed, vermicomposting project and growing space for tomatoes and cucumbers.
Science Labs

Four dedicated lab spaces for chemistry, physics, and life sciences (newly renovated).
Mobile Virtual Reality Classroom

Mount Saint Joseph is at the forefront of integrating 21st-century technology into our classrooms. We have a classroom set of Oculus Quest 2 headsets that allow students to travel across the world and time, collaborate in shared art studios, and explore 3D biomolecule structures like never before.

Sustainability Efforts

Hydroponic gardening and donations of fresh food to the less fortunate
Native garden restoration projects
Maiden Choice Run stream survey and clean-up
Energy-efficient lighting fixtures
Composting
Honeybee hives
Recycling Program
Water bottle filling stations

Extracurricular Opportunities

FirstTech Robotics
Environmental Engineering Club
CyberPatriot
Sustainability Club
ACE (Architecture, Construction, and Engineering)
Maryland Math League
Mu Alpha Theta
Chemistry Olympiad
Environmental Club

Academic Offerings

STEM and Sustainability-focused classes are available to all levels of students starting freshman year. For more information on course offerings, please visit the following department pages:

Sustainability Scholars

Mount Saint Joseph offers a unique scholars program open to students who have expressed an interest in environmental education and sustainability. Our Sustainability Scholars Program is a four-year, scholarship-based program that combines traditional school day education with a plethora of extracurricular and summer work opportunities, all allowing students to put their education and knowledge to use as they design and execute environmental action projects.