FLINT – Kettering University will get a new electronics lab and will partner with the University of Michigan on new courses as its share in the $1 billion coming to Michigan from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Kettering will receive about $500,000 of a $2.5 million grant from federal stimulus money to develop courses on hybrid electronics, batteries and green power.
About half the courses will be taught at the U-M Ann Arbor, with others taught at the university’s Dearborn campus and in Flint at Kettering. Two laboratories will be developed to support graduate and undergraduate courses, some of which could begin as soon as winter semester.
Kettering President Stan Liberty said the University’s participation in the project is a symbol of the strength that mid-Michigan brings to the state.
“Kettering is pleased to partner with the University of Michigan and the federal government on the advanced laboratories and courses needed to educate tomorrow’s workforce. Michigan’s university partners will train the next generation of workers in these new technologies.
Michael Harris, Kettering’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said he is pleased with what the funding represents for the University.
“We at Kettering are delighted to receive stimulus funding for electric drive vehicle battery and component manufacturing,” he said. “We will partner with other institutions of higher education and with industry to continue our advanced work in education and applied research in the field. This award is a testimony to the capacity of our faculty.”
Harris credits Professor James Gover and the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. “We will use these resources to enhance our educational capacities in this field so we continue to be a national leader. This is part of our transformation into the economy of innovation.�?�
Gover, a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said the creation of a new hybrid vehicle power electronics laboratory will upgrade the teaching of three currently existing hybrid vehicle/power electronics courses at Kettering. Additionally, the funding will develop two new hybrid vehicle courses, he said.
“Other courses are being developed in Ann Arbor and Dearborn,” he said. “The courses will be transferred to Kettering for our use in hybrid vehicle education. Of course, all of these courses can be adapted to continuing education courses that are offered to companies. When this work is completed, the State of Michigan will have several universities with leading-edge hybrid vehicle education programs and research facilities. Hopefully this will lead to plug hybrid vehicles assembled in Michigan with the batteries, power electronics, IGBT switches and electric machines all manufactured in our state.”
Gover noted that Kettering will work with Huei Peng, a professor of Mechanical Engineering and executive director of Interdisciplinary and Professional Engineering Programs at the U-M, who will create classes at universities and educational programs for K-12 students and the general public.
Professor Chan will visit Kettering from Sept. 2-5 to give presentations, meet faculty and collaborate with Kettering’s Electrical Engineering faculty in research, Gover said.
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