Key Takeaways
- Penn State awards roughly 36 % of undergraduate and 20 % of doctoral degrees in non‑STEM fields, matching national averages.
- Despite these enrollment figures, non‑STEM research accounts for only about 4 % of the university’s research expenditures due to limited federal and non‑federal funding.
- Non‑STEM scholarship drives economic prosperity, enhances community well‑being, and informs public debates on pressing issues such as AI ethics and citizenship law.
- Faculty examples illustrate how humanities, arts, law, and business research intersect with technology, industry, and K‑12 outreach to create tangible societal impact.
- University leadership stresses that the arts and humanities are essential for shaping quality of life and guiding the responsible development of emerging technologies.
Overview of Penn State’s Non‑STEM Landscape
Senior Vice President for Research Andrew Read presented to the Board of Trustees on July 16, emphasizing that as technology advances, the humanities, arts, law, business, and related fields become increasingly vital for ethical and practical guidance. He outlined the scope of non‑STEM scholarship at Penn State, noting that these disciplines are defined by the U.S. National Science Foundation to include the humanities, visual and performing arts, law, business, and other areas of study.
Degree Conferral Rates Compared to National Averages
Read reported that Penn State confers approximately 36 % of its undergraduate degrees and 20 % of its doctoral degrees to students in non‑STEM fields. These figures align closely with national averages, indicating that the university’s enrollment patterns in the liberal arts and professional schools are representative of broader higher‑education trends.
Funding Disparities in Non‑STEM Research
Although a substantial share of students pursue non‑STEM majors, non‑STEM research constitutes only about 4 % of Penn State’s total research expenditures. Read attributed this gap to fewer funding opportunities at both federal and non‑federal levels. He contrasted this with the National Institutes of Health, noting that the combined budgets of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities are roughly equivalent to a single mid‑size NIH institute among its twenty constituent institutes.
Creative Funding Strategies Employed by Faculty
Despite the funding shortfall, Read highlighted that Penn State’s non‑STEM faculty excel at identifying alternative sources of support. They successfully supplement traditional federal grants with private foundations, industry partnerships, and internal university initiatives, demonstrating a capacity for innovative financial stewardship that sustains their scholarly endeavors.
Societal Impact of Non‑STEM Scholarship
Read stressed that the influence of non‑STEM work is visible throughout communities, institutions, and national discourse. He cited concrete examples: a tile mosaic in a Chicago train station created by Folayemi Wilson, associate dean for access and equity and professor of art, which is viewed by thousands of commuters weekly; and the Colored Conventions Project led by Gabrielle Foreman, whose research was referenced in a recent U.S. Supreme Court birthright‑citizenship case. These illustrations underscore how humanities and arts scholarship shape public spaces and legal debates.
Interdisciplinary Art‑Tech Collaboration
Elizabeth “Cassie” Mansfield, distinguished professor of art history and recent Guggenheim Fellow, described a collaborative project with Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology. By merging art historical analysis with computer science techniques, the team advanced understanding of visual culture while simultaneously improving computer vision algorithms. Mansfield explained that these enhanced algorithms can better inform generative artificial intelligence systems, showcasing a direct pipeline from humanities inquiry to technological innovation.
Humanities Guidance on AI Ethics and Policy
John Christman, director of the Penn State Humanities Institute and professor of philosophy, political science, and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, explained how humanities scholars contribute to societal conversations about emerging technologies. He argued that technical solutions alone cannot resolve complex challenges such as the ethical deployment of AI. Instead, humanities research provides the historical, cultural, and ethical frameworks necessary to determine what engineers should build, how technology should be used, and who stands to benefit from its application.
Making Music Accessible Through Engineering Partnerships
Velvet Brown, the David P. Stone Chair and professor of tuba and euphonium, detailed her work with a global music company to design instruments usable by all players. Partnering with colleagues in the College of Engineering, Brown is developing lighter‑weight tuba cases to reduce airline transport costs and improve portability for musicians. She also expanded her High School Recording Experience Series, an outreach program that inspires young musicians and anecdotally supports Penn State’s student recruitment efforts.
Leadership Perspective on Quality of Life
President Neeli Bendapudi added that the arts, humanities, and creative processes are central to understanding the public impact of research. She observed that individuals often choose their places of residence based on quality of life, a factor heavily influenced by cultural offerings and humanistic enrichment. Bendapudi affirmed that fostering these disciplines is not merely an academic luxury but a strategic component of community well‑being and economic vitality.
Conclusion: The Indispensable Role of Non‑STEM Fields
Collectively, the presentations and remarks underscored a clear message: while STEM drives technological capability, the humanities, arts, law, and business provide the essential context, ethics, and creativity needed to steer those capabilities toward societal benefit. Penn State’s continued investment in non‑STEM scholarship—despite funding challenges—remains crucial for fostering informed citizens, vibrant communities, and responsible innovation.