| Upgraded aerospace lab helps maintain post-collegiate focus |
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| Written by Johnathan Silver, The Shorthorn senior staff | ||||
| Monday, 26 October 2009 08:04 PM | ||||
  Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Bernd Chudoba speaks to the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Advisory Board about the new remodeled aerospace lab design Thursday in Woolf Hall. This lab layout is designed to promote team interactions and help reflect an aerospace industry setting. (The Shorthorn: Michael Rivera) After more than $60,000 of renovations were made to the Aerospace Vehicle Design laboratory, students enrolled in the class received 24-hour access with a swipe of their Mav Express cards, and could work on projects with less clutter. Aerospace engineering senior Wendy Okolo said she thought the renovations were wonderful. “I like the fact that I can come here whenever I want, to do school work,” she said. Lab director Bernd Chudoba delivered a presentation Thursday to the provost and Bill Carroll, College of Engineering dean, about what’s done in the lab, to commemorate the renovations. The lab was designed so members can interact, Chudoba said. In class, students compete in groups and are given the same task. This year the class is redesigning a Boeing 737 aircraft, making it more efficient by reducing fuel consumption by 20 percent and emissions by 25. Results will be sent to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Earning high grades is nice but students need to strive toward preparation for an engineering job, Chudoba said. “My goal is to transition students from a school mentality to an industry mind-set,” he said. The provost’s office covered half the upgrade cost. Provost Donald Bobbitt said he met with an engineering alumnus and employer who thought UTA engineering students were more prepared for the job market than their counterparts in other schools. “ ‘When [outside companies] hire other engineering students, they ask good questions,’ ” Bobbitt recalled. “ ‘But when we hire UTA students, they have the answers.’ ” He said having the redesigned lab explains why students have the answers. A good work environment leads to quality production, he said. Wade Walterscheid, of Peterbilt Motors Company, said he liked the presentation and the improvements. “It gives you a feel that they are going to provide consistent engineers for the field as a whole,” he said. “They’re going to be more ready.” Views: 319 | E-mail
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 27 January 2010 03:34 PM ) | ||||
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