NSF gives $3 million to Clemson University and technical college collaborators to support manufacturing pipeline
April 2, 2015
CLEMSON, SC — The National Science Foundation is funding Clemson University in collaboration with technical colleges to advance the talent pipeline in aerospace, automotive and advanced manufacturing. The grant is for $3 million.
Collaborators are South Carolina Advanced Technological Education, Greenville Technical College, Florence-Darlington Technical College and Spartanburg Community College.
The recipient of the funding is CA2VES, which stands for the Center for Aviation and Automotive Technological Education Using Virtual E-Schools.Those from Clemson come from the department of industrial engineering, the department of mechanical rngineering, the department of engineering and science education and the School of Computing.
Anand Gramopadhye, the dean of the College of Engineering and Science, is the principal investigator on the CA2VES grant. Kris Frady is director of operations for CA2VES, and Kapil Chalil Madathil is technology director.
Congratulations came from across the state, including from Clemson University President James P. Clements.
“This is a great example of teamwork, and it reflects the incredible quality of our faculty, staff and students,” he said. “A big part of what has made the state of South Carolina successful in economic development is our ability to collaborate with other colleges to create the pipeline of talent that industry needs.
“This center will be a major component of that effort as we move into the future. We appreciate the NSF’s support.”
Experts with the center began developing “digital learning tools” in 2011 and have been distributing them at no cost to high schools and technical colleges.
Their virtual reality simulations have been used in a quarter of the state’s technical colleges and in 17 two-year colleges outside the state.
Lessons include online texts and videos, but a big part of what makes the lessons stand out are the virtual reality simulations that feel more like playing a video game than going to class.
“The School of Computing at Clemson has one of the sharpest virtual reality and visualization programs in the country,” Gramopadhye said.
And here’s the best part: those who complete the courses should be well-positioned to find jobs in advanced manufacturing averaging $47,000 a year.
Some virtual reality simulations put students in a first-person view and allow them to move around a factory floor to look for safety hazards. With other simulations, students learn to use specialized tools to take precise measurements.
In another, students learn how to replace a hybrid car’s battery, which can lead to electrocution if done improperly.
All simulations can be done on any computer connected to the Internet. They can also be imported into the Oculus Rift or a 3D television, but those devices are not necessary.
“The virtual reality simulations allow students to try things over and over,” Chalil Madathil said. “It prepares them for what they will find in the lab or when they start using physical equipment.”
Students can study in a time and place of their choosing as long as they have a computer and an Internet connection, Frady said.
“Flexibility is important for the students who are benefiting most,” she said. “Many are balancing their education with jobs and family obligations. Some have transportation concerns. If they use digital learning tools, they can study anytime or anyplace and may need to physically go to campus only once or twice a week.”
Robert Jones, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, said the center’s work fits with the university’s long-term goal to create an easier pathway from technical colleges to Clemson.
“Some students may go directly into the workforce after taking the online and virtual reality courses CA2VES is developing,” he said. “But the science, technology, engineering and math skills they learn will also position them for success if they should choose to further their education at Clemson.”
Although it is headquartered at Clemson, the center’s primary focus is on supporting technological education.
The National Science Foundation helped launch CA2VES with a $2.4-million grant in 2011.
In addition to its work with technical colleges, CA2VES is also introducing its curriculum in high schools.
With the new round of funding, the group will reach deeper into the K-12 system with simulations that show students and teachers what an advanced manufacturing environment looks like.
“Part of our goal is to smash the perception that manufacturing is dirty work with long hours and low pay,” Gramopadhye said. “Today’s manufacturing plants use sophisticated equipment. They are akin to clean rooms. Jobs require highly complex technical, decision-making and people skills. This will require us to close the knowledge and skills gap.”
The group will also make a big push to reach women, minorities and students from rural areas. Experts will develop “toolkits,” including virtual reality simulations, that will be used in summer camps and available to two-year schools.
Gramopadhye said South Carolina is the ideal place to develop this effort due to the team’s diverse, cutting-edge expertise, including virtual reality, e-learning, advanced manufacturing and workforce development that could be applied nationwide.
“The grant is fantastic news, not only for Clemson but the whole state,” he said. “South Carolina’s auto industry is booming, and the number of aerospace jobs has grown 600 percent in five years.
“This program is widening the talent pipeline and making it more diverse through a collaborative effort. The renewal by NSF is a testament to the quality of the collaborative team assembled. The need is clear and urgent. Our continued prosperity will hinge on whether we can keep the talent flowing.”
Here is what top officials from around the state had to say about the grant:
“As the state’s manufacturing economy grows, we’re going to see an increasing need for highly skilled workers,” said Hope Rivers, vice president for academic and student affairs for the S.C. Technical College System. “Technical colleges will play a significant role in economic development by educating them. CA2VES has developed some promising tools that instructors can use to get students ready for the workforce. We look forward to continued collaboration.”
“We’re happy to partner with Clemson on this,” said Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College. “The urgent need for highly skilled workers in this state cannot be overstated. Our collaboration with Clemson on CA2VES and in other areas, including the Center for Manufacturing Innovation, could be a model for the entire nation.”
“Our folks in continuing ed are pleased with the curriculum. As far as quality goes, our folks have evaluated it and found it to be very good, very succinct and very relevant to what we’re trying to teach,” said Ben Dillard, president of Florence-Darlington Technical College. “Of course, workforce development is job No. 1 for the technical colleges in the state. I think this collaboration is going to continue to grow. We’re just happy to be a partner with Clemson. Together we can get a lot more things done than we can working separately.”
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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under award No. 1104181. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
