Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Auburn University, ABM Partner for EV Charging Station Solutions

  • By Matt Jones
  • 12/14/23

Auburn University’s School of Industrial & Graphic Design recently partnered with ABM Industries for a series of student senior projects involving the design of new and innovating EV charging stations, according to a news release. Six graduating students received awards of up to $3,000 each for their design concepts, which ABM will adopt among their other forward-thinking ideas for the future of EV infrastructure.

ABM launched a series of branded charging solutions earlier this year. It sought out a partnership with Auburn to develop new solutions that could enhance and improve current charger design, incorporating factors like accessibility, ease of use, and ergonomics.

“Auburn was a natural choice for this project given their leadership in industrial design, and they were a great partner throughout, with each student providing exciting new ideas and perspectives,” said ABM Product Manager Alex Drouillard. “We went in with the plan to offer only five prizes, but the outcomes were so strong we needed to add in an additional prize to recognize these efforts and for us to consider them all for our future charger designs.”

The 13 participating students received a design briefing from ABM and rented electric vehicles to gain firsthand experience with existing charging stations in the area. The students worked with the ABM team and their professor to flesh out their designs. Each design was judged by a panel of experts according to factors like aesthetics, cost, and accessibility.

“ABM was a great partner to work with, both in bringing a real-world application to our students, but also in providing a tangible design brief that gave them a lot to work with and, ultimately, resulted in a range of different outcomes from the students,” said Jerrod Windham, Associate Professor of Industrial Design at Auburn University. “The cash prize offering was also unique, allowing for our students the opportunity to be rewarded monetarily for their work and understand the value of their designs.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Image courtesy of Kahler Slater

    UW–Madison Announces Completion of Morgridge Hall

    The University of Wisconsin–Madison recently announced that construction is complete on Morgridge Hall, a new academic building, according to a news release. The facility opened September 3 at the start of the fall semester, consolidating the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences into a single facility for the first time.

  • Countway Library at Harvard Medical School

    From Shadows to Sanctuary: The Transformation of Light at Countway Library

    The renovation of Countway Library at Harvard Medical School demonstrates how biophilic design and advanced lighting strategies transformed a formerly dark, insular space into a vibrant, welcoming hub that supports wellness, learning, and community engagement.

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

    Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam.