Boise State’s College of Arts and Sciences awards Innovation Lab grants to faculty developing new ideas in curriculum and academic programming. In 2025, the dean set aside $250,000 to support this work.
In a highly competitive pool of applicants, two projects from the School of the Arts won Innovation lab grants. Their work and the generous support from the College of Arts and Sciences will ensure that our students get the best arts education possible, preparing them for the creative careers of the future.
ArtSci Community continues its work
The ArtSci Community, led by an interdisciplinary team of arts and sciences faculty at Boise State, continued its groundbreaking work with funding from an Innovation Lab grant.
Since launching in 2023, ArtSci has created a collaborative ecosystem that supports undergraduate and graduate students, expands experiential learning opportunities and strengthens connections between the campus and the broader Boise community. The initiative has engaged more than two dozen students across mixed media, movement arts, scientific visualization and interactive data design; hosted interdisciplinary guest artists and scientists; and produced large-scale public events, including its inaugural ArtSci Showcase, which drew over 270 attendees.
With new funding, ArtSci will build on its momentum through the development of a major publication that translates scientific research through artistic expression, the continued growth of the BASH community and the third annual ArtSci Showcase, planned for spring 2026. Supported by significant external grants and strengthened by new partnerships—including collaboration with the Keith and Catherine Stein Luminary—ArtSci is positioned to remain a thriving hub for creative, interdisciplinary innovation at Boise State.
A redesigned Bachelor of Arts in Music degree
The traditional college music student studies classical or jazz traditions. They come to Boise State after years of private study on a particular instrument. These students are a valuable part of the School of the Arts, but they don’t represent the only way to study music.
Supported by an Innovation Lab grant, Professor Nicole Molumby led the effort to redesign the curriculum for the Bachelor of Arts in Music—a separate degree from the Bachelor of Music that students trained in classical or jazz traditions normally pursue.
“These new students might be in a local rock band or working on commercial music, but they are all welcome here,” Molumby said. “We’re expanding our reach to all those who consider themselves musicians on campus.”
The new curriculum supports creative careers in music outside education and performance. Students practice skills in areas like music production and recording. Thanks to the Innovation Lab grant, they will have opportunities for experiential learning in the redesigned Music Technology Lab, which includes industry-standard music production software and an attached recording studio.