Schools In Focus Podcast
Schools In Focus is a podcast dedicated to the design, planning and management of educational facilities and campuses. Listen in as we chat with industry experts, facility managers, architects, security and safety professionals, and other thought leaders. Catch up on previous episodes below.
01/29/26
This episode's guests are Timothy Nyblom, Director of End User Business Development for Higher Education with HID Global, and Jeremy Fromm, Mercury Security Evangelist, with Mercury Security. They're here to talk about building access control in K–12 and higher education institutions. They'll walk us through the benefits of using an open-architecture system, as well as some of the necessary technical aspects and how they fit within the larger vertical. This episode is sponsored by HID Global.
Duration: 33 min
Sponsored by HID Global Corporation
11/06/25
This episode's guest is Tim Nyblom, the Director of End User Business Development in Higher Education for HID Global. Today, we'll be talking about mobile ID card issuance on higher-education campuses and the process of transition from physical to electronic student IDs. We'll cover the benefits of mobile IDs for both students and administrators; how mobile access credentials enhance campus security and advance sustainability goals; common barriers and obstacles toward adoption; and the journey that institutions take as they implement the change. This episode is sponsored by HID Global.
Duration: 23 min
Sponsored by HID Global Corporation
03/12/25
On this episode of Schools in Focus, we'll talk about the role that classroom furniture plays in creating adaptive, flexible learning spaces. Our guest is Wesley Edmonds, the Director of Workplace, Adaptive Solutions at OFS. We'll talk about how layering furniture selection into the initial design phase can help maximize a facility's square footage and student interaction. We'll also discuss how different pieces meet different needs, from collaboration and active learning to quiet study spaces. We'll touch on designing for neurodiversity, the impact of design thinking on quote-unquote "fixing education," and a couple specific case studies that put these theories into practice. This episode of Schools in Focus is sponsored by ROOM.
Duration: 41 min
08/09/24
Today’s guest is Devin Bowman, General Manager of Technical Glass Products (TGP) and AD Systems. We’ll talk about the relationship between school architecture and designing for safety as design aspects like natural light and floor-to-ceiling windows become more common. We’ll discuss how to give your school’s glass surfaces varying levels of protection to keep students safe. And we’ll also talk about TGP’s work with an elementary school in Oregon that focused on improving the building’s safety and security features. This episode is sponsored by Technical Glass Products.
Duration: 27 min
06/21/24
This episode’s guest is Michael Dunn, Technical Sales Manager for Energy Saving Ceilings & PCM at Armstrong World Industries. He’s here to talk about how Phase Change Material (PCM) can help provide energy savings in schools. You’ll learn why many K¬–12 schools are on the hunt for a new HVAC solution and the practical applications of PCM ceiling panels in regulating temperature without driving up energy costs. He’ll also share the results of the case study at a New Hampshire high school that demonstrated the technology’s effectiveness. This episode is sponsored by Armstrong World Industries.
Duration: 34 min
Sponsored by Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Solutions
09/26/23
Increased understanding of and focus on acoustics in the classroom, coupled with heightened focus on speech privacy and information security in today's world, has placed additional burden on school administrators and facility managers. Acoustics isn't only about creating quite classrooms. It's a critical part of the overall IEQ of a school—from classrooms to nurses' offices to administration spaces. New and better technologies exist to give schools solutions that achieve what is needed in today's world while keeping budget parameters in mind. These acoustical solutions start at the top with ceilings, and not all ceilings are alike. Join us as Sean Browne, Senior Manager of Research & Development for Armstrong World Industries, walks us through choosing the right ceiling to optimize acoustics for better learning experiences.
Duration: 43 min