Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Certificate Program is Getting Underway

09/17/2024

Gibson Hance (from left) of Greenbrier, an engineering technology, major, Landon Rogers of Jonesboro, a mechanical engineering.major, and Nana Yamazaki of Toyama City, Japan, an engineering technology major, try out new lab equipment in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

JONESBORO - The College of Engineering and Computer Science at Arkansas State University is launching a new 12-credit hour undergraduate certificate program in advanced materials and manufacturing.

Plans for the certificate program were approved by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board at its July meeting.

Dr. Abhijit Bhattacharyya, dean of the college, emphasized the regional interest that provided extra impetus for the university to move forward with the program.

"Recognizing the need for such training in advanced materials and manufacturing, several companies and entities in the area have come forward with contributions to launch a laboratory of advanced materials and manufacturing, in support of the undergraduate certificate," he explained.

Bhattacharyya acknowledged four major donations to assist with the start-up costs:

- Workforce Training Consortium based in Jonesboro, with Todd McClung, president, $50,000;

- Allen Engineering Corp. based in Paragould, with Jay Allen, president, $20,000

- Southern Cast Products based in Jonesboro, with Doug Imrie, president, $20,000, and

- The Systems Group based in Little Rock, with Lee Morgan, president, $55,000

These contributions, along with almost $60,000 from the university, has led to the launch of the laboratory. Further, The Systems Group has renewed its support for outreach efforts of the college by pledging a total of $45,000 over the next three years.

The certificate as well as the laboratory have come to fruition principally due to the efforts of Dr. Drew Fleming, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and Dr. Rajesh Sharma, associate professor and director of the engineering technology program.

"Dr. Fleming will be the point of contact for the laboratory," Bhattacharyya added. "This certificate was overdue in a region where there are a lot of workforce needs in the sectors of materials handling, manufacturing of advanced steels, and heavy equipment.

The certificate is also timely in that there was a recent university announcement of $10 million to establish a Center for Advanced Materials and Steel Manufacturing. The certificate is the first step towards a potential four-year program involving advanced materials and metallurgical engineering in the future.

Meeting to discuss the new certificate program in advanced materials and manufacturing are (from left) stidemts Nana Yamazaki and Landon Rogers, faculty members Dr. Drew Fleming and Dr. Rajesh Sharma, and student Gibson Hance.

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