Purdue Northwest Awarded Grant

Simulation and visualization inside a blast furnace

A National Science Foundation grant will allow for the establishment of the first Research Experience for Teachers site in northwest Indiana. Purdue University Northwest will host the RET site through the three-year, nearly $600,000 grant.

The RET will run through the school’s Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation and Steel Manufacturing Simulation and Visualization Consortium.

Simulation and visualization technologies will be the focus of the the RET site to address issues of workforce development and industry skill gaps. Community college and high school teachers in STEM disciplines will be able to gain research experience and development opportunities.

Teachers will participate in daily activities involving systems engineering and smart manufacturing research on real-world issues to help with energy efficiency, production optimization, and workplace safety. 

“We truly appreciate the NSF support and are very excited about this great opportunity to engage both secondary and community college teachers and industries to promote STEM research and education,” said Chenn Zhou, CIVS and SMSVC director and professor of Mechanical Engineering, who serves as Principal Investigator (PI) of the grant. “This RET site also provides excellent opportunities for PNW’s CIVS and School of Engineering to showcase faculty members’ and students’ real-world research projects, as well as to build a pathway for high school and community college students to pursue engineering degrees at PNW.”

High school and community college teachers are also able to apply for a six-week summer program at the site, which will run from June 8 – July 17, 2020 at the PNW Hammond campus. Click here for more information.