College of Engineering faculty receive grant for summer academy in sustainable manufacturing
Two Wayne State University College of Engineering faculty members have received more than $370,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide extraordinary research opportunities for undergraduate students in the burgeoning field of sustainability in advanced manufacturing. This is the first award of its kind from the NSF in this area.
Jeremy Rickli, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering, and Yinlun Huang, professor of chemical engineering and materials science, earned a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site grant to develop a summer academy in sustainable manufacturing.
"This site will contribute to establishing WSU as a leader in undergraduate research on sustainable manufacturing and provide national recognition for WSU's innovative sustainable manufacturing research," says Rickli. "The site guarantees one slot for a Wayne County Community College student and at least one slot for a Wayne State Student per summer as a commitment to nurturing local talent as well as the nation's top undergraduate students interested in sustainable manufacturing."
"Establishment of such a program is timely," the grant proposal reads, "as advanced manufacturing and industrial sustainability become crucial to the national economy."
The 10-week summer academy - which is scheduled to begin in 2016 for three consecutive summers - will bring 10 leading undergraduate researchers from across the country to the College of Engineering to perform cutting-edge experiments in the following areas:
Preparation to create the academy's infrastructure will begin in November, conducted by a multidisciplinary team of 12 Wayne State faculty members from six different departments: industrial and systems engineering, chemical engineering and materials Science, mechanical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and economics.
"In addition to research activities," the proposal pledges, "the REU students will be exposed to a dynamic training environment for developing skills in self-learning, teamwork, communication and networking. The thoughtfully designed activities will excite participants to the future of Sustainable manufacturing and drive them to become the next generation of the United States' manufacturing workforce."