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Siemens Corporation has supported a research project at Clemson focused on an important workforce issue: the continuity of mission-critical knowledge and skills as experienced workers retire and must transfer this knowledge to younger workers. The project will be managed by the Creative Inquiry (CI) program, Clemson’s unique framework for interdisciplinary undergraduate research, which will be led by Dr. Jennifer Siemens and Dr. Anastasia Thyroff in the College of Business.

Beginning in January 2017, the CI project will seek to analyze the Siemens sales workforce to capture implicit knowledge from subject matter expert and make recommendations on how this knowledge can be transferred to less experienced employees. The students and faculty will consult existing literature on the topic of knowledge continuity management and apply qualitative research methods to develop a deeper understanding of knowledge continuity issues in the workforce, specifically among Siemens employees.

This project will be managed through the Watt Family Innovation Center and will span a total of three years, with preliminary findings and recommendations presented to Siemens executives at the end of each year.

With a combination of cash and gifts-in-kind, BMW has supported Clemson University’s Assembly Center at the Center for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI), located at the Millennium Campus adjacent to the CU-ICAR Technology Neighborhood 1. The CMI offers education designed to meet industry needs and includes dual-credit programs in partnership with Greenville County Schools, bridge programs that allow a student to move from associate’s degree to bachelor’s degree and workforce training and certificate programs that increase the qualifications of manufacturing employees.

Research for innovation in advanced manufacturing and future technologies related to advanced manufacturing is incorporated into instruction. This allows students to gain practical experience working alongside experienced engineers, faculty and staff.

Clemson’s Assembly Center at the CMI allows students and faculty to prototype automotive assembly lines to improve manufacturing processes for research and education purposes. BMW’s investment will directly impact graduate research through providing a testbed for research prototypes, and both graduate and undergraduate education through the Manufacturing Certificate capstone course.

Lockheed Martin, a global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technologies company, has supported two STEM education outreach programs at Clemson since 2006: South Carolina’s Coalition of Math and Science (SCCMS) and the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” for Girl Scouts.

SCCMS creates alliances and partnerships that promote college, career, and citizenship opportunities through STEM education. One of the Coalition’s most successful initiatives is the annual iMAGINE Upstate STEM festival that draws thousands of participants and engages hundreds of volunteers. During the 2015-2016 academic year, SCCMS delivered over 40,000 contact hours of programs and services to over 7,000 educators and others across the state. An estimated 30,000 families/students participated in STEM festivals hosted by SCCMS in SC.

The WISE “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” is an outreach program sponsored in collaboration with the Girls Scouts of the Midlands. This event takes place during Engineers Week in February, and Girl Scouts are invited to the Clemson University campus to learn about opportunities in the field of engineering and science.

In April 2016, Hubbell Lighting and the Hubbell Foundation established the Hubbell Foundation Engineering Scholarship Endowment and the Hubbell Lighting Annual Engineering Scholarships to support students in Clemson’s College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences (CECAS).

The first scholarships were awarded in fall 2016, and today, CECAS, CFR and Hubbell Lighting representatives honored the student recipients at a luncheon event. The 2016-2017 Hubbell Lighting Scholars include:

Alexis Fiore is a junior at Clemson pursuing a degree in Industrial Engineering. A native of Orlando, Florida, Alexis is currently serving as an Industrial Engineer Project Analyst intern at Walt Disney World. As an intern, she’ll work closely with the costuming and entertainment departments at Walt Disney World. Outside of the classroom, Alexis is involved in Alpha Omega Epsilon Sorority, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), and IPTAY. Upon graduating from Clemson in December 2018, Alexis hopes to become an industrial engineer at Walt Disney World.

Emily Gullette is a junior at Clemson majoring in Bioengineering with a minor in Music. She is from Greer, SC and enjoys being a member of the Clemson Symphony Orchestra and volunteering at the Sullivan Health Center on campus. Upon graduating from Clemson, Emily plans to attend medical school.

Dylan Hastings is a junior at Clemson from Charleston, SC majoring in Computer Engineering. After graduating from Clemson in the fall of 2018, Dylan plans to pursue a career in his field of expertise. Although he does not serve as an official tutor, he enjoys helping other students with their studies, particularly in computer engineering.

Jennifer Hibberts is a junior at Clemson pursuing a degree in Biosystems Engineering with an Ecological Engineering emphasis area and a possible minor in Sustainability. Jennifer is a member of the Honors College and serves as a mentor for Honors College freshmen. She grew up overseas on an Army Garrison in the Marshall Islands on an island called Kwajalein. Jennifer is also involved in the Clemson Debate Team, the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges Scholar Program, and the Club Water Polo team. She had the opportunity to study abroad in the French Riviera in the spring of 2016, and after graduating from Clemson, Jennifer hopes to join the Peace Corps and then possibly attend law school.

Alexander Schreiber is a sophomore at Clemson pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Business Administration. He is from Granville, Ohio and enjoys being a member of the Clemson Ice Hockey team. Upon graduating from Clemson, Alexander hopes to take steps toward owning his own company.

For more information on the Hubbell Lighting scholarship program, visit: http://newsstand.clemson.edu/mediarelations/hubbell-lighting-and-hubbell-foundation-establish-engineering-scholarships-at-clemson/

The Walmart Foundation and the U.S. Conference of Mayors announced Clemson University as one of this year’s U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund grant recipients for its sustainable water and oil repellency fabric technology research project led by Dr. Chris Cole, professor emerita of materials science and engineering, and Dr. Phil Brown, assistant professor of materials science and engineering.

Clemson will receive $422,549 from the Walmart Foundation,  and was one of only six universities selected to receive funding in this round of grant awards from the U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund. The Fund seeks to support research proposals that strive to create new manufacturing technologies and reduce the cost of producing goods in the U.S. with the ultimate goal of creating jobs that support America’s growing manufacturing base.

This award from the Walmart Foundation builds upon their previous support of Cole and Brown’s textile research project. Clemson received a $960,000 grant from the 2016 cycle of the U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund.

Clemson’s research aims to create a more sustainable water and oil repellant fabric process. The process will significantly reduce costs while using no additional finishing chemistry, significantly reducing the amount of fluorochemistry required.

Thank you, Walmart, for supporting Clemson University research and innovation!

Read more about this award >>

On January 17, Clemson’s College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences celebrated the ribbon cutting of the Fluor PEER/WISE Study Hall, located in Freeman Hall. The Fluor PEER/WISE Study Hall was named to honor Fluor‘s longstanding support of the PEER and WISE programs. These programs are designed to increase and retain women and under-represented minorities in engineering and science majors through mentoring, counseling, networking, and tutoring. The Fluor PEER/WISE Study Hall space will be an important resource for these programs, providing a free, drop-in tutoring service for College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences students. Fluor tutors are academically outstanding juniors, seniors and graduate students who provide students with tutoring in a variety of engineering, math and science courses.

Thank you, Fluor, for supporting these outstanding programs and contributing to our students’ success!

Since 2014, the Duke Energy Foundation has supported a Clemson University graduate-level teacher education course for 16 K-12 teachers focused on the interactions between energy production and the environment. The course is held at the Duke Energy Bad Creek Outdoor Classroom at the Bad Creek hydroelectric plant and covers tuition, course materials and supplies, and food and lodging for those staying on campus.

Dr. Barbara Speziale, biological sciences professor and associate director of the Watt Family Innovation Center at Clemson, developed the course with Duke Energy to help teachers gain hands-on education experience with topics related to wildlife ecology and management, nuclear and hydroelectric power, ecosystem management, and geology. Feedback from teachers who have completed the course has been highly positive, and many course graduates have noted that they have been able to directly apply the knowledge they gained in the course to their lesson plans in classrooms across South Carolina.

Thank you, Duke Energy, for supporting education in our state!

With a $50,000 grant award, Weyerhaeuser, one of the world’s largest private owners of timberlands, has become the fifth Founding Partner for Clemson’s Wood Utilization + Design Institute. The WU+D Institute is a multidisciplinary entity that was established in 2013 to educate, conduct research and provide continuing education of stakeholders across the wood industry. Researchers with the institute currently are testing cross laminated timber (CLT) to determine burn rates, wind resistance and structural load.

Weyerhaeuser joins the WU+D’s impressive list of Founding Partners, including Huber Engineered Wood Products, Collum Lumber, SmartLam and Mac Rhodes, a South Carolina timberland owner. The gift from Weyerhaeuser will support the institute’s mission of bringing together foresters, architects, engineers, constructors and building industry stakeholders to design advances in wood-based products through education and training, product research and development, and development of technical and design solutions.

The forest industry has an $18.6 billion impact on the South Carolina economy. More than two thirds of land in South Carolina — 12.9 million acres — is forested. The Clemson University Wood Utilization and Design Institute is strategically positioned to drive the development, demand and utilization of wood products, as well as address industry’s needs for the next generation of talent.

Thank you, Weyerhaeuser, for supporting wood research and education at Clemson!

Valerie Clements, the 2016 Bosch Fellowship recipient and automotive engineering graduate student at Clemson, is quickly learning about the special opportunities that a corporate-sponsored fellowship can create.

Valerie has been involved in drag racing since 2001, when she was eight years old. She competes in the Junior Dragster-level, following in her brother, former champion, Alton Clements’ footsteps. Racing is a family affair for the Clements, as Valerie, her dad, and brother work together to get her car into racing shape. She enjoys being hands-on with the preparation for racing, connecting elements from her courses at Clemson to her racing experience. She was named the National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA) Rookie of the Year in 2012.

After being awarded the Bosch Fellowship, Valerie was excited to learn more about Bosch’s footprint in NASCAR racing as a sponsor. She was invited to join the Bosch team at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title race in Miami in late November, an especially exciting experience for a drag racing champion like Valerie.

Pictured above is Valerie with the Bosch CEO Mike Mansuetti and team after Jimmie Johnson secured the Sprint Cup Championship title in Miami. (Valerie is standing directly behind the trophy!)

In fall 2016, three key endowed chair positions were filled in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, paving the way for cutting-edge research in some of Clemson’s priority areas.

The Duke Energy Smart Grid Technology Chair Endowment was established by Duke Energy and the SmartState SC program in 2013 to create an endowed faculty chair position at the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI) in North Charleston, SC. This endowment created the Duke Energy Smart Grid Technology Endowed Chair and two distinguished professorships. In October 2016, the Duke Energy Endowed Chair position was filled by Dr. Johan Enslin, an expert in power system planning, power electronics, and the integration of large-scale solar and wind power to the electric grid. Enslin joined Clemson after leading the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) at UNC Charlotte. As the Duke Energy Endowed Chair, Enslin will lead the development and growth of research initiatives in emerging electric-grid technologies. Read more about Dr. Enslin and his new role at Clemson.

The Michelin Endowed Chair in Vehicle Automation was established by Michelin and the SmartState SC program in 2004 to support a faculty position at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). In October 2016, Dr. Venkat Krovi was named the Michelin Endowed Chair. Krovi joins the Clemson faculty after 15 years at the University of Buffalo. He has a wide-ranging background in robotics, but is now focusing on autonomous vehicles, a field that could bring major changes to driving. During his time at the University of Buffalo, Krovi built an international reputation as a highly regarded expert in robotics, and among many other achievements, helped secure the University’s Tier-1 membership in the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute. As the Michelin Endowed Chair, Krovi will work with regional collaborators in the Upstate and beyond. Read more about Dr. Krovi and his new role at Clemson.

The BMW SmartState Chair in Automotive Manufacturing was established by BMW Manufacturing Co. and the SmartState SC program in 2003. In December 2016, Dr. Laine Mears, professor of automotive engineering at Clemson, was named to this esteemed faculty position. Mears has been a faculty member at Clemson since 2006 and has more than 10 years of experience in the automotive industry. As the BMW SmartState Chair, he will direct a new program at the Center for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI) in Greenville that will bring together Clemson engineers and Greenville Technical College students to work together on a prototype assembly line. Mears’ research focuses on how manufacturers can use sensors and the data they generate to better understand and streamline operations, saving money and improving quality. Read more about Dr. Mears and his new role at Clemson.