Bergen Community College STEM Student Research Center – STEM is Blooming in Bergen County

On Jul 3, 2020

The $1-million, state-of-the-art STEM Student Research Center at Bergen Community College (BCC) serves more than 2,000 students enrolled in various STEM programs.  

Located inside the campus’ Pitkin Center main building, the 3,500-square-foot center offers highly flexible space for creating both small and large teaching and work areas and collaborative technology labs. With BCC, the County of Bergen and the federal government all recognizing the need for STEM education and the need for more than just classroom instruction, the Student Research Center opened in May 2019 and immediately became a hub for students seeking STEM opportunities.  

The Pitkin Center space was renovated through an aggressive schedule involving teams of skilled tradespeople, including welders, plumbers, electricians and carpenters. They created a modern, flexible industrial complex of open spaces where furniture can easily be rearranged to create groupings of various sizes, separated by movable dividers. This flexibility facilitates space customization, whether for teaching or labs, and enables the STEM program to evolve easily over time. The center is technologically advanced, with CNC machines, 3D printers, super computers, a robotics lab, and a drone lab.  

The center has quickly become a recruitment asset for the college. By helping BCC secure new funding through local, federal and private grants, more students are being attracted to BCC to pursue careers in STEM fields and are being prepared to transfer to other universities for advanced STEM education. Further, many corporate partners have reached out to the college offering internship and shadowing initiatives for STEM students. BCC also has established partnerships and collaborations with area high and middle schools to expose young minds to STEM opportunities. 

As the only such multidisciplinary, student-led, community college research center in the country, the BCC STEM Student Research Center is a prime example of what educational institutions should be offering students seeking opportunities in the competitive, high-demand STEM industries.  

ARCHITECT 

RSC Architects
Hackensack 

BUILDER 

GPC Inc
Millburn 

FINANCE ENTITY 

Bergen Community 
College and the US Department of Education 

NOMINATOR 

Luis De Abreu, 
Director BCC STEM 
Grant Program,  

and 

Chris Brand, 
Project Architect, 
RSC Architects 

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