Engineering students advise businesses on efficiencies
Businesses are always looking for ways to improve efficiency and reduce cost, right? Yet many forget that engineers are a great solution for correcting inefficiencies.
“Society is losing its understanding of the use of engineers, and a lot of things are being done without engineering input,” said Dr. Robert Reed, a Columbia associate research professor at the University of Missouri Water Resource Center. Reed said engineering is merely “applied science and math, where engineers are taught to look at the components of something and find the most effective way to put it together.”
With MU as a major factor in mid-Missouri’s economy, Reed said, why not use its tools and active learning students as resources in local businesses? Indeed, MU’s College of Engineering is partnering with the Columbia-area community on multiple projects. All give students real-world, hands-on experience and benefit the community and area businesses.
“Most businesses and manufacturing companies don’t know these resources are available — they don’t know that this resource is theirs if they ask for it,” Reed said. “We’re primarily an academic and research institution; we don’t try to sell our services, but we will provide services if there is not a private business able to serve them.” Such help ranges from providing information and expertise to creating student projects and internships.
In one such partnership, faculty and a team of MU students are working to bring best practices and increased efficiency in reducing polluted stormwater runoff. Tougher U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Natural Resources rules mean communities need to implement new strategies to keep stormwater from carrying pollutants into fragile watersheds, including Hinkson Creek. Students are now evaluating best management practices for their effectiveness. The project is coordinated with the MU Campus Facilities, the city of Columbia and Boone County.
That project will continue this semester with MU internal funding. The project team is composed of five undergraduate students and four faculty members. Joining Reed are Dr. Allen Thompson, principal investigator and faculty member in bio-engineering; Dr. Enos Innis, assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering; and Robert Broz, an extension assistant professor of agricultural engineering.
“This program is somewhat unique because we can have five students and four faculty members participate, while most undergraduate research programs only have one or two students and one faculty member,” Reed said.
Here are other existing outreach programs from the College of Engineering:
• Missouri Industrial Assessment Center uses both undergraduate and graduate students to conduct energy audits in industries and suggest ways to reduce energy use. The center promotes best practices in energy efficiency. It’s open to qualified small- and medium-sized manufacturing.
• A Pollution Prevention internship for both undergraduates and graduates places trained students in industries for the summer. The 10-week internships are coordinated through the College of Engineering and require a course dealing with waste reduction and energy efficient methods.
• Engineers also are involved in product research and development for businesses through the Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Center, which is based in Columbia, though it serves clients throughout the state. Another program that receives federal funding, this outreach is coordinated through MU Extension and the College of Engineering and links students to the needs of specific businesses. SBTDC experts have reported they’ve helped such Columbia businesses as gourmet chocolatier Patric Chocolate, Snyder Brace, Nanoparticle BioChem, Nanova, The Galactic Fun Zone, Longitude Health and Hot Box Cookies.
• Targeted internships also are arranged with central Missouri businesses. Reed said one example is a water quality planning company that hires students in biological engineering.
• An agricultural efficiency program partners the College of Engineering with the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and the state Agriculture Department. The MAESTRO project — Missouri Agricultural Energy Savings Team, A Revolutionary Opportunity — is targeted at small animal farms in the state. The project, which just completed its first of three years, provides energy audits, loans, interest buy downs, rebates and grants to retrofit energy-saving equipment.
“Society is losing its understanding of the use of engineers, and a lot of things are being done without engineering input,” said Dr. Robert Reed, a Columbia associate research professor at the University of Missouri Water Resource Center. Reed said engineering is merely “applied science and math, where engineers are taught to look at the components of something and find the most effective way to put it together.”
With MU as a major factor in mid-Missouri’s economy, Reed said, why not use its tools and active learning students as resources in local businesses? Indeed, MU’s College of Engineering is partnering with the Columbia-area community on multiple projects. All give students real-world, hands-on experience and benefit the community and area businesses.
“Most businesses and manufacturing companies don’t know these resources are available — they don’t know that this resource is theirs if they ask for it,” Reed said. “We’re primarily an academic and research institution; we don’t try to sell our services, but we will provide services if there is not a private business able to serve them.” Such help ranges from providing information and expertise to creating student projects and internships.
In one such partnership, faculty and a team of MU students are working to bring best practices and increased efficiency in reducing polluted stormwater runoff. Tougher U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Natural Resources rules mean communities need to implement new strategies to keep stormwater from carrying pollutants into fragile watersheds, including Hinkson Creek. Students are now evaluating best management practices for their effectiveness. The project is coordinated with the MU Campus Facilities, the city of Columbia and Boone County.
That project will continue this semester with MU internal funding. The project team is composed of five undergraduate students and four faculty members. Joining Reed are Dr. Allen Thompson, principal investigator and faculty member in bio-engineering; Dr. Enos Innis, assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering; and Robert Broz, an extension assistant professor of agricultural engineering.
“This program is somewhat unique because we can have five students and four faculty members participate, while most undergraduate research programs only have one or two students and one faculty member,” Reed said.
Here are other existing outreach programs from the College of Engineering:
• Missouri Industrial Assessment Center uses both undergraduate and graduate students to conduct energy audits in industries and suggest ways to reduce energy use. The center promotes best practices in energy efficiency. It’s open to qualified small- and medium-sized manufacturing.
• A Pollution Prevention internship for both undergraduates and graduates places trained students in industries for the summer. The 10-week internships are coordinated through the College of Engineering and require a course dealing with waste reduction and energy efficient methods.
• Engineers also are involved in product research and development for businesses through the Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Center, which is based in Columbia, though it serves clients throughout the state. Another program that receives federal funding, this outreach is coordinated through MU Extension and the College of Engineering and links students to the needs of specific businesses. SBTDC experts have reported they’ve helped such Columbia businesses as gourmet chocolatier Patric Chocolate, Snyder Brace, Nanoparticle BioChem, Nanova, The Galactic Fun Zone, Longitude Health and Hot Box Cookies.
• Targeted internships also are arranged with central Missouri businesses. Reed said one example is a water quality planning company that hires students in biological engineering.
• An agricultural efficiency program partners the College of Engineering with the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and the state Agriculture Department. The MAESTRO project — Missouri Agricultural Energy Savings Team, A Revolutionary Opportunity — is targeted at small animal farms in the state. The project, which just completed its first of three years, provides energy audits, loans, interest buy downs, rebates and grants to retrofit energy-saving equipment.