Global Learning Lab
The Global Laboratory is a 1,000-square-foot teleconferencing room housed in 242 Leonhard Building. The lab was made possible through the generosity of Peter and Angela Dal Pezzo, as well as the support from the Colleges of Engineering and Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State.
The objective of the lab is to encourage collaboration with students, faculty, and other organizations outside the University Park community.
The lab incorporates five key design components:
- The teleconferencing area is a state-of-the-art room equipped with Polycom technology, a projection screen, and 46” LCD monitors in the back and front of the room for video and data share. Two high definition (HD) cameras provide the video feed from the room, while a central ceiling microphone provides the audio feed.
- The benchmarking area is adjacent to the teleconferencing area and consists of a ceiling-mounted high definition camera and microphone. The camera is controlled remotely and covers a large benchmarking table where students can congregate around hardware or project-related prototypes to perform manipulations or brainstorm in collaboration with international teammates.
- The mobile Polycom unit consists of a large LCD monitor, HD camera, and associated hardware and software mounted on wheels. It can be easily moved to any lab or room in the Leonhard Building. It has the ability to broadcast, with two-way interaction, from any of location with the building back to the teleconferencing room. The broadcast can be viewed in the teleconferencing room and/or broadcast to outside collaborators.
- Room 102 is the largest auditorium in the Leonhard Building, capable of accommodating up to ninety students in front of a large projection screen. We have designed and incorporated a feed from the teleconferencing room to Room 102 to accommodate a large number of students during our international activities.
- The international language station is a 12’x12’ room, adjacent to the teleconferencing room, that is equipped with a computer that features self-learning international language software .The goal is to provide opportunities to our students by facilitating access to different languages, on demand, right here in the Leonhard Building. This station supports travel and non-travel based activities.
