SUU Mobile STEM Laboratory Classroom Hits the Road
Published: January 29, 2026 | Author: Kierstin Holloway | Read Time: 2 minutes
The Southern Utah University STEM Center is proud to announce that the L.S. and Aline W. Skaggs Mobile STEM Laboratory will officially hit the road this month. The 33-foot RV mobile classroom will bring hands-on learning to rural schools and partners across the state, ensuring more students can access engaging and meaningful education around science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
"I am excited to get one of the newest and coolest pieces of science equipment in the entire state into our rural communities," said STEM Center Director Dylan Kirklin. "I want our rural friends to get the best STEM experiences in the state, offered right in their own backyards."
The Mobile STEM Lab will start to accompany STEM Center personnel to local schools and will tour around the state for makerspace fairs and STEM events.
Kirklin and Dean Bill Heyborne (SUU College of STEM) worked with SUU Advancement to submit a proposal to the Aline and Sam Skaggs (ALSAM) Foundation to fund an RV built for the purpose of a Mobile STEM Lab that would be used to teach K-12 students about STEM. The foundation accepted the proposal, funded the Mobile Lab, and provided an additional endowment to pay for the vehicle's upkeep.
While the Mobile STEM Lab was constructed on an RV chassis, it was custom-built to the SUU STEM Center's specifications. This allowed the mobile laboratory to include an internal and external teaching space, screens and monitors, a working lab sink, extra electrical plugs, and a designated space for students to work.
"One of the best features of the Mobile STEM Lab is the ability to transform to fit a variety of teaching experiences," said Kirklin. "These experiences will range from interactive VR experiences to a mobile makerspace, and even learning about Enhanced Geothermal Systems. We will also be using the Mobile Lab to offer new certificate programs to the public in rural locations, taking museum exhibits on tour, and partnering with other local STEM programming."
About SUU STEM Center
The SUU STEM Center is dedicated to fostering science, technology, engineering, and math education. Its mission is to build a better future for Utah by offering free high-quality STEM experiences and instruction. Through its initiatives, the Center provides critical resources to empower both educators and students.
Tags: College of STEM Community STEM Center
Contact Information:
Brooke Heath
435-586-5400
brookeheath1@suu.edu