The Novum is a site for the Science, Technology, and Society degree program at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. The STS program offers both a major and a minor and includes two tracks: environment & sustainability and policy & law.
Novum means new thing. The term is often used in discussions of science fiction to refer to a new invention or social change that creates the world of the story. The speculation required to imagine new fictional worlds mirrors the creative thinking required to enact new futures in the real world. The STS degree prepares students to examine and analyze the ways the world is, to imagine what it could be, and to take action to effect change.
We look to our students to create the world they (and we) will live in, and a degree in STS is a way to both contribute to and understand this world as it unfolds.
Most Recent Posts
Where Science Happens: Dr. Kathleen Shepherd on Science & Sociability in Egyptology
Where does science happen? And who is welcome in those spaces? These questions are central to the work of Dr. Kathleen Sheppard, a recent guest and contributor to the STS Speaker Series.
STS Faculty Profile: Frank Van Nuys
This STS faculty profile introduces Frank Van Nuys, Professor of History and soon-to-be interim Department Head for Humanities and Social Sciences.
Native Science: Interconnection, Local Knowledge, & Memory
For National Native American Heritage Month, Christy Tidwell writes about Native science and recommends some books on the topic.
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The Novum 