SOUTH KINGSTOWN – A laser cutter, 3D printers with large-format capabilities and eight high-performance computers are among the technologies now available to engineering students at the University of Rhode Island’s new Ideation and Innovation Studio.
URI opened the studio this fall in the Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering’s Toray Commons, with a ribbon-cutting event held in late September.
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The studio includes two distinct areas for ideation and innovation, with the ideation space providing whiteboards and digital tools conducive to collaboration and concept development. The innovation space houses the technology that will help students make these ideas into tangible solutions.
Additional technology available in the lab includes a printed circuit board machine, hand tools, soldering stations and design software.
The center was established with a $270,000 award from 401 Tech Bridge’s RISE-UP program, which is funded by the U.S. Office of Naval Research. To support RISE-UP goals, the lab will emphasize solutions for commercial and military sectors.
“To help achieve that, our team knew we needed to co-create curated innovation spaces within our colleges, and also across URI to encourage cross-disciplinary entrepreneurship,” said Pete Rumsey, chief business development officer at the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation and URI Ventures. “The objective of this idea is to accelerate innovation and increase the development of intellectual property and business startups.”
The center is available for use by all undergraduate and graduate engineering students, as well as faculty and staff, though the university plans to emphasize early involvement.
“Integrating this studio into the first-year experience means our students don’t have to wait to start doing engineering,” said Mayrai Gindy, a co-primary investigator and associate dean for academic and faculty affairs. “This hands-on access helps them build skills, connect with their peers and understand that innovation is at the heart of what it means to be an engineer.”
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
