Otterbein's STEAM Innovation Center opens in October

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Otterbein University made a major addition to the Westerville community when, on Oct. 1, it officially opened the STEAM Innovation Center.

The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) Innovation Center’s focus is to create opportunities for students by using a trans-disciplinary approach. It has a full maker space, a metal shop, a woodworking shop, rapid prototyping and a design studio that is available to everyone through a membership process. The space is leasable, which allows for businesses that meet its criteria to utilize its resources.

A STEAM ship of such size and scope needs a steady captain at the help, and for Otterbein, that captain is Erin Bender, who was hired on as executive director of the center July 1.

Bender came to Otterbein from The Ohio State University, where she had worked in the Office of Technology Communication since 2006. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Wright State University and a law degree from Capital University.

Because entrepreneurship is an element crucial to the center, Bender’s own entrepreneurial background played a big role in her selection to head the programs there. She also, along with her family, runs C.A.B.B. Farms, a cattle farm in Lexington in Morrow County.

Running the center gives Bender the chance to provide hugely innovative opportunities for both Otterbein students and local businesses. Seeing students engage with the equipment in the center and talk with companies about their needs and how they can work together makes up one of Bender’s favorite parts of the job.

“The STEAM Innovation Center brings together all university disciplines, companies and the community to provide our students with experiential learning opportunities using design thinking approaches,” Bender says. “It is no longer acceptable to be an expert in one field. A student must be able to communicate with all members of their working environment.”

Bender and her husband, Dustin, purchased the farm in 2006. The old bank barn was an amazing asset, she says, and the community has very robust 4-H programs.

The couple both grew up in rural Marion County and met at 4-H. Bender’s family were grain and livestock farmers, and she showed quarter horses competitively growing up.

“Having this as our background led us to farm life. The fence on our property would hold in sheep well, so we decided on Angus cattle,” Bender says. “Ten years later, we have nearly 60 head of cattle we grass-feed and finish.”

Dustin manages many of the farm’s day-to-day operations, though he also has a full-time job. The couple’s two children, Amelia and Mathias, also help out with chores, health visits, calving and other duties.

“Starting a new role is always challenging, but our family has been blessed with a great support network and our entrepreneurial spirit had kicked in,” Bender says. “We are creative in how we manage both our business, family and work lives.”

Ray Bruster is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Recipe - Pot Roast

Courtesy of Erin Bender

Ingredients

  • 2-3 lb. chuck or English roast
  • 4-5 potatoes, cubed
  • 4-5 carrots, cut into thirds
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • ½ Tbsp. pepper
  • ½ cup Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Place roast in crock pot (frozen is OK). Cut potatoes, carrots and onions and add around roast. 

Cover beef and vegetables with salt and pepper. Add Worcestershire sauce, then add water to a level up to halfway up beef.

Cook on low 8-9 hours. Serve.

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