Gift of TV monitors facilitates student collaboration

Two large digital monitors gifted by the NPRE alumni board to the department are providing a terrific means for students to collaborate on projects.

Set up recently in Talbot Laboratory's second floor student lounge, the 75-inch monitors can be connected to student laptops, allowing clear views for larger groups of students as they work together.

"This is a very tangible example of how alumni can impact the education of today's students," said Department Head Rizwan Uddin, in thanks for the gift from the NPRE’s Constituent Alumni and Industry Advisory Board.

NPRE students enthusiastically agreed that, when they work on projects together, the monitors provide convenience and create a more efficient working environment. NPRE students congregate in Talbot's 220 Student Lounge to study together, so the placement of the monitors in that room adds to their appeal.

Alexandra Fanning touted their convenience and usefulness, “The (American Nuclear Society) uses the monitors for our exec board meetings. Also, NPRE 100 used the monitors for that class, which makes this room (Talbott 220) more usable. (The students) didn’t have to ask (the administrative office) for a projector but could just use the monitor instead.”

Another student felt that the monitors improved the atmosphere of the study lounge and changed the way that groups worked together.

"Now we can just hook up our computers to the monitors, which makes it easier to provide instructions to younger students," said Eric Smith. "When reviewing for exams, we can pull up visuals or our online textbook on the screen."

Even when not intensely studying for exams, the students appreciate the monitors, Smith said. “This one time we pulled up a 10-hour video of a train to play in the background.”