Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Penn State Opens Renovated Mechanical Engineering Lab

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/17/21

At Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Penn., the Department of Mechanical Engineering recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new ME Knowledge Lab. According to a university news release, the lab marks the launch of a revamped curriculum for the program. The renovated space opened to students for the fall semester.

“We are so excited to welcome our students into the new facility,” said Mary Frecker, head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “With the successful construction, in tandem with the new curriculum, our students will be better prepared to begin their careers as mechanical engineers.”

The 5,700-square-foot space was formerly a basement that saw limited use. Fundraising through alumni and industry professionals saw the “mostly unusable” space transformed into a state-of-the-art lab for undergraduates to contribute, collaborate and practice hands-on research. Applications include energy, sustainability, bioengineering, big data, autonomy, robotics and advanced manufacturing.

Renovations began in fall 2020. Amenities in the new facility include a collaborative design hub; 3D printers and a light makerspace; lab stations with characterization devices for turbines and battery cells; a virtual reality learning site; and an autonomous vehicles lab.

“By creating spaces that not only encourage engineering ingenuity, but also facilitate such work, we’re setting ourselves and—more importantly—the future, our students, up for success,” said Justin Schwartz, the Harold and Inge Marcus Dean in the College of Engineering.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Fargo, N.D., Starts Construction on Consolidated Elementary School

    Fargo Public Schools in Fargo, N.D., recently announced the beginning of construction on a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with ICON Architectural Group and Kraus-Anderson Construction on the new Horace Mann Elementary School.

  • Western Kentucky University, Gilbane Announce “Elevate WKU” Partnership

    Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., recently announced that it has reached the financial close on a on a public-private partnership (P3) with Gilbane Development, according to a news release.

  • Missouri K–12 District Cuts Ribbons on Two New Middle Schools

    Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, Mo., recently celebrated the completion of two new middle school facilities with ribbon-cutting ceremonies, according to a district news release. The district officially opened the new Pipkin Middle School and Reed Academy on Sept. 3, both of which were funded through the $220-million Proposition S bond program approved by voters in 2023.

  • Dallas-Area District Debuts Three New Facilities

    The Duncanville Independent School District in southwest Dallas, Texas, recently held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for three new facilities that resulted from a $170-million bond program passed in 2023, according to a news release.