Sen. McConnell Helps Dedicate Robotics Lab At WKU
April 02, 2010
Bowling Green, Ky. - U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell today helped Western Kentucky University dedicate the region’s
premier lab offering cutting-edge education, research and workforce development opportunities in automation, robotics, simulation and animation.
The lab is in 3,500 square feet of space that has been renovated to house a state-of-the-art facility for advanced manufacturing, industrial automation, robotics and digital design graphics for animation and simulation. The departments of Architectural and Manufacturing Sciences, Computer Science and Engineering share the use of the facility, located in the Environmental Sciences and Technology Building.
Sen. McConnell has secured almost $6 million in federal appropriations over the past three years for WKU’s Ogden College of Science and Engineering, of which nearly $2 million has been used for the lab and equipment.
Sen. McConnell said he concluded that the money would be better spent at WKU than in other states.
“Had I not made the decision to help Western Kentucky University, that money would not have been saved,” he said. “It would have been spent on another university in another state.”
Sen. McConnell's support for this project has been important on many levels, according to Dr. Blaine Ferrell, dean of Ogden College.
“Academically, the automated robotics laboratory has moved WKU to the cutting edge in manufacturing technology and thereby provides our students with a high quality academic experience that prepares them exceptionally well for the workforce and graduate school,” Dr. Ferrell said. “Having this facility also provides students with opportunities to participate in hands-on applied research or technical projects that help meet challenges experienced by regional industries or help them design manufacturing processes that are more efficient and economical thereby making these industries more competitive.”
He added the facility may also attract other industries to the region. “With this facility the faculty has moved the advanced manufacturing curriculum to a higher level that will produce the leaders to move the manufacturing industry forward,” Dr. Ferrell said.
Terry Leeper, head of the Department of Architectural and Manufacturing Sciences, said the facility will prepare undergraduate and graduate students for advanced studies, provide opportunities for research and professional development for faculty and students, foster partnerships with business and industry, and support the overall economic development of southcentral Kentucky.
“Modern, state-of-the-art industrial grade equipment is essential to prepare competitive graduates for working with and managing automation and robotic applications in business and industry,” Dr. Leeper said.
WKU President Gary Ransdell thanked Sen. McConnell for his continued support of WKU, which has brought more than $70 million to the campus over the past 13 years.
“We know we are both about the creation of jobs, but as a university, it is also our responsibility to make sure our alumni who are put into those jobs are technologically advanced,” he said. “That’s what this lab is all about.”
Dr. Ransdell said WKU is about identifying and solving problems. “We can only do that through good faculty and good students, but they have got to have good facilities,” he said. “They have to have the opportunity for hands-on, practice-based experience so they can put that to work at the jobsite.”
Robert Neyenhaus, a WKU graduate and assistant general manager of Diacel Safety Systems of America, said the lab will prepare students to meet the challenges ahead.
“This facility takes textbook knowledge and allows the students to apply it to real-life manufacturing,” he said. “In the competitive job market of today, this lab will add a resource that will allow these students to separate themselves from others applying for the same positions.”
The lab has been used for instruction for the past year and this spring seniors of the department are using the lab as a completely functional integrated automated system for manufacturing operations. Plans are to use a portion of the 2010 appropriation to replace the 15-year-old materials handling conveyor and to purchase two robots for loading and unloading operations, Dr. Leeper said.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Dr. Terry Leeper at (270) 745-5954.
April 02, 2010
Bowling Green, Ky. - U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell today helped Western Kentucky University dedicate the region’s
premier lab offering cutting-edge education, research and workforce development opportunities in automation, robotics, simulation and animation.The lab is in 3,500 square feet of space that has been renovated to house a state-of-the-art facility for advanced manufacturing, industrial automation, robotics and digital design graphics for animation and simulation. The departments of Architectural and Manufacturing Sciences, Computer Science and Engineering share the use of the facility, located in the Environmental Sciences and Technology Building.
Sen. McConnell has secured almost $6 million in federal appropriations over the past three years for WKU’s Ogden College of Science and Engineering, of which nearly $2 million has been used for the lab and equipment.
Sen. McConnell said he concluded that the money would be better spent at WKU than in other states.
“Had I not made the decision to help Western Kentucky University, that money would not have been saved,” he said. “It would have been spent on another university in another state.”
Sen. McConnell's support for this project has been important on many levels, according to Dr. Blaine Ferrell, dean of Ogden College.
“Academically, the automated robotics laboratory has moved WKU to the cutting edge in manufacturing technology and thereby provides our students with a high quality academic experience that prepares them exceptionally well for the workforce and graduate school,” Dr. Ferrell said. “Having this facility also provides students with opportunities to participate in hands-on applied research or technical projects that help meet challenges experienced by regional industries or help them design manufacturing processes that are more efficient and economical thereby making these industries more competitive.”
He added the facility may also attract other industries to the region. “With this facility the faculty has moved the advanced manufacturing curriculum to a higher level that will produce the leaders to move the manufacturing industry forward,” Dr. Ferrell said.
Terry Leeper, head of the Department of Architectural and Manufacturing Sciences, said the facility will prepare undergraduate and graduate students for advanced studies, provide opportunities for research and professional development for faculty and students, foster partnerships with business and industry, and support the overall economic development of southcentral Kentucky.
“Modern, state-of-the-art industrial grade equipment is essential to prepare competitive graduates for working with and managing automation and robotic applications in business and industry,” Dr. Leeper said.
WKU President Gary Ransdell thanked Sen. McConnell for his continued support of WKU, which has brought more than $70 million to the campus over the past 13 years.
“We know we are both about the creation of jobs, but as a university, it is also our responsibility to make sure our alumni who are put into those jobs are technologically advanced,” he said. “That’s what this lab is all about.”
Dr. Ransdell said WKU is about identifying and solving problems. “We can only do that through good faculty and good students, but they have got to have good facilities,” he said. “They have to have the opportunity for hands-on, practice-based experience so they can put that to work at the jobsite.”
Robert Neyenhaus, a WKU graduate and assistant general manager of Diacel Safety Systems of America, said the lab will prepare students to meet the challenges ahead.
“This facility takes textbook knowledge and allows the students to apply it to real-life manufacturing,” he said. “In the competitive job market of today, this lab will add a resource that will allow these students to separate themselves from others applying for the same positions.”
The lab has been used for instruction for the past year and this spring seniors of the department are using the lab as a completely functional integrated automated system for manufacturing operations. Plans are to use a portion of the 2010 appropriation to replace the 15-year-old materials handling conveyor and to purchase two robots for loading and unloading operations, Dr. Leeper said.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Dr. Terry Leeper at (270) 745-5954.
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