Upper Cumberland Camera; #12301; Cookeville and Tennessee Technological University: Partnership in Excellence

In an effort to continue Tennessee's fine standards of education Tennessee Technological University was awarded grants by the state to stablish two centers of excellence. President Rhode commented on the Sanders. We have two centers of excellence of which we are very proud. There is one in manufacturing research and technology utilization which is now in operation and the second one is in water resources we call it the management and utilization and protection of water resources. So there's a widespread involvement of we'll have a fairly large central staff of scientists and teachers in each of the two centers of actions we anticipate. And our preliminary planning that there be large numbers of undergraduates and graduate students involved in these programs. I think they will markedly enrich our instructional program at the undergraduate and graduate levels. There

is a philosophy in higher education to which I have a spouse for many years and that is that when you are building actual ance in colleges and universities you build it like you do structure one brick at a time and in higher education you do it one program at a time you try to concentrate where your source or your areas of actual hands are. Were is it that you're really doing a fine job. And then you nurture and build on those and build around them and by and by you have a well known and excellent university but you've done that systematically program by program. Now the Centers of Excellence notion was a part of the Better Schools program which Governor Alexander proposed and that was incorporated in the comprehensive Education Act which was developed by the Tennessee General Assembly and was adopted last year. There was much a fanfare about the Master Teacher

Program and things that were being done in elementary and secondary education and not quite as much fanfare about what I think are some very exciting things in higher education and none more exciting than the notion of centers of excellence now Centers of Excellence for universities were not defined in the act anywhere so we sort of had to define them as we went along. So the concept of centers of excellence and I wanted to say let's look around the state of Tennessee. It's unlikely that we're going in one fell swoop to make every State University in Tennessee an actual want one. So let's say what each university is doing that's actually already where there are some pockets of excellence of high quality where people are doing some very fine things. And the way that proceeded was that universities then were invited to prepare proposals around areas where they

already have some very fine strengths. Those proposals then were reviewed by external consultants reviewed by our board of regents the staff and the board and also by the staff and members of the Tennessee higher education commission. So we had a set of proposals that we submitted. Every other university in Tennessee State University submitted some proposals and they were evaluated. We felt very very good for Tennessee Tech. Two of our proposals were ranked very high and as recognition of areas of excellence that we already have. Now the concept is yes you're already doing a good job there and that's a good place to build a center of national international excellence. So our budget for each of these two centers from state appropriations will be a million almost a million dollars a

year a little over a million and one little under and the other. But right a million dollars a year now we're required to match that $1 for every two dollars appropriated. So we'll be putting in a half million dollars in each of these centers in addition to the million dollars each that's being appropriated. In addition to that we're building all that on the basis of what we already had. So we're talking about multimillion dollar operations for each of these two centers the center of excellence in manufacturing is based in engineering. It includes. All of the disciplines of engineering and also includes business and a number of the Arts and Sciences discipline so it's it is really an interdisciplinary look at manufacturing. We're going to be setting up a very modern CAD CAM laboratory which will be the state of the art laboratory in manufacturing. We will be involved in training programs for

manufacturers. We will have a program in robotics and technology that's used today and in the most modern manufacturing industries across the world. The long term objective which we have in manufacturing is to work with the manufacturing industries across this part of the country to try to attract new industries to Tennessee and try to help those or an operation be more productive and do a better job and thus contribute to our overall economy. Heading up the Center for manufacturing research is Dr. Joe Scardina. He talked with us about the center and its purpose. The center really has a twofold purpose. One purpose or one goal is to aid industries in the state and to attract other interest rates to the state and assist them in advanced technology manufacturing. A computer aided design and a computer aided manufacturing all of the things that we are hearing about

today that are being used in manufacturing. The second goal of the center is to impact the instructional program both at the undergraduate and graduate level and those areas related to manufacturing. We want to expose our students to these new concepts either directly by having them work on center projects or indirectly by bringing these the results of these projects into the classroom. There are a number of ways that we plan to accomplish this. Of course the initial funding that we received has allowed us to. Boquete a month or so you bid for equipment to establish facilities that are much needed in various areas in the area of computer aided design computer aided manufacturing. This is a very equipment intensive area of research and you need a computer dedicated solely to this particular topic. In addition we are to obtain matching funds from government agencies from industries etc. and we are well on our way to doing that. We have

several projects already going on that have brought in matching funds. We have some painting equipment donations from industry. We have a number of proposals out to support these projects for future projects and in addition we are trying to establish industrial affiliates that is industries that will associate with the Center to work on OWN problems of interest both to the university and to those industries. One project that is of particular interest is the one that Dr. Said deal both Doctor safety Jeta and industrial engineering. Pursuing this is with the National Bureau of Standards and its own automated materials handling with all the emphasis on automated manufacturing one one very important consideration is will you have the right parts or the right tools or the right materials available at the proper place in an assembly line that has been automated and this is a very complex problem and it requires a

considerable amount of analysis and computer modeling in order to optimize the flow of materials and parts through a plant. And Dr. Gilbert Dr. Fujita are working on this for the Bureau of Standards. Another project is one that Dr. swim Dr. Griggs and Dr. entries in the Canticle engineering are working on for ashtray. This involves the design of air conditioning ductwork. And they are trying to optimize the size and shape and other parameters related to duck duct work that used an air conditioner. Another area of interest to manufacturing is computer graphics. Bob Mayberry the director of computer aided Engineering Laboratory talked with us about computers and their contribution to manufacturing. Computer Aided Design and graphics is the area that we're dealing with mostly in solids modeling. We've been working with a number of people students as well as faculty and civil engineering mechanical engineering electrical

engineering. And even some people in physics and mathematics. Basically this playing three dimensional surfaces that they had to work with that were difficult to visualize. Visualization is probably one of the main or key features of computer aided graphics. It allows you to see things rather than looking at lots of computer output and data. As far as American data goes and you can visualize it see it much easier. We're planning on using videotapes of different processes that are difficult to see. For engineering students a freshman through senior level. The various categories that we've dealt with along with animation which we're doing just for display capabilities we've been doing some filter studies electronic filter studies. We've been working with some plasma studies for the Air Force we've been building some actually modeling some machinery to

make sure that the pieces fit together before the actual assembly has to occur. Various types of projects like that and physics we're working on determining the visual display for finding that the next heavy element. Where that should occur. And in mathematics we're doing some function mapping and that sort of thing. Being able to use computer a graphics in the entire curriculum. Was one of the main features why we went ahead and bought the system rather than say a two dimensional drawing system. We brought solids modeling which is the upper end. Of. Both expense wise. As well as technique wise students can benefit greatly by have being able to see something actually taken apart with solid modeling we can build assemblies cut them in half so that right on the computer screen so that people can see the student and see the inside. We can make the exterior housings translucent so that you can see in to the save for instance of your working with the

gear housing. You make the outside of your housing translucent see the gears rotating inside and you can make the gears translucent to see the bearing surfaces. That type of thing so students can quite easily see what's really going on rather than just having to have the feel of what's going on. We will ization and drawing classes one of the hardest things the students have to deal with. They have. Three two dimensional pictures and they have to take their mind has to take that to make one three dimensional object out of it. And some students have a great deal of difficulty with that. If you get a highly complex situations that's where the median a molecule something where you're dealing with the spirals. It's much easier if you can actually have something that you can rotate in space which you can do with the solid modeling. You can do rotations translations that type of thing of an object. The entire package that we're working with are going to be working with is going to allow us to build one three dimensional database. Then we can which is a model of some particular design

that we're working on. We can actually do the testing and analysis right on the computer rather than having to build the models physically if we like what we've come up with and have made the changes making it appropriate. Then we can take the model. Directly from the computer make a computer. Tape from it to drive a numerical control machine which will make the part. And also we can drive drafting systems which will draw two dimensional drawings for manufacturing to use or whatever. All from one database without ever having to build an actual model. And. That's what the engineering side of it is on the design side is to be able to use one database and completely design and produce a part or. An item. Since the centers have been announced we have had faculty in different departments talking to each other a lot more than they used to about cooperative efforts. We've had a tremendous amount of enthusiasm in terms of the anticipated new equipment that will have the students are interested of course there's

also some concerns this is a little new to people and they want to know what it's all about. But overall the enthusiasm the availability of up to date. Up to date state of the art research projects on campus are just going to have a tremendous impact both on the university as a whole and on the instructional programs for the specific departments that are involved in the project. This sort of thing is happening all over the country. Centers of this type. Are being recognized for the the valuable contributions they can make to American industry and to the instructional program in order to keep us up to date. And it's essential that Tennessee be involved in this sort of thing. If our students if our industries if our citizens are going to be able to have the same advantages that are being available to throughout the country. I think it's just tremendous that we're doing this sort of thing. It's it's a real shot in the arm to our program and I'm just extremely

excited about it. The president wrote and also commented on Tennessee Tech's other Center of Excellence. The one in water resources when we look around as in this part of Tennessee we see lots of water all the streams and lakes and we feel very good about the water supply. But water is a very serious problem in Tennessee and a very serious problem across south and of course across the country. We want to set up a program and water resources that will involve research and training in the management of water and in the protection of our water resources and proper utilization make sure that our water resources are safe. We'll be working again with with manufacturing industry counseling with them advise ing them on wastewater treatment and recycling and utilization and try to make

sure that for our children and grandchildren we have ample supplies of fresh water that they too can enjoy. Dr. Raphael Bustamante the interim director of the Center for the management and protection of Water Resources explained his contribution to the center. I am now the acting director. I have meaning and I can direct the scenes to the exceptional Center which was took place late last spring. I mean when the ministration the the organization researching the staffing. And you know development will be sent. We have approximately. 15 research proposal which are now have been draft or are being drafted and now being submitted. We have two proposals which have been accepted and are now being executed. And we have a number of activities to looting

of course development in the Labrador development and laboratory upgrading. And. And items such as that that would result in the general developmental center. Here magnetic central that. We have to remember that I use and I get an accent that was not our industrial center or commercial center back and I'm eccentric. Which he is. Based on the foundations of excellence that we have here to take in the general area water it will develop a research program. He will. Be. A an entity that will sponsor. Students. At the graduate level and also on the on the graduate level. I was providing for additional manpower in that particular area. That is an instrument that will be used to assist. State agencies and perhaps

industry in solving or tackling. Difficult problems. Related to water is an overall objectives of. Improving the water management in the state of Tennessee and in the region. Really I mean you need an Research Center is not just simply to study something. The mere term in uni means you get results from something you study something because there is a reason for starting it. So on really all the research is and is directed to our goals and objectives. One of which could be the quality of the water that. People in this community or any other community might be concealment. So I think that. That Inevitably this will result in better methods of creating water and better methods of managing water. But a technology not a related technology that will be too many things to everyone. We do have a project. With the city of Kabul involving the determination of the

baseline quality of the former war room. Where the new so we shouldn't plan is going to be discharging and we will follow it up with. A study afterwards to determine the impact or even any of this. New water facility or treatment facility on the receiving stream. So we do have a project specifically on that. We have a number of projects which have been proposed involving. Wastewater treatment involving. Modeling. Water bodies involving. The management of water. Moving. Aquatic. Biology. And also in the area allow monitoring. These are areas all which are being at this moment studied by. My people in the Senate. I think that this is going to be a great thing for us and I think take as well as four from Tennessee we will be needing a center such as this. And there are a number of areas which are great

interest that need work that need research they need new technology they need navigation. And we fully expect to play a part in that. And such a path I think that it will be. As it will be an asset not only the institution with the community in the state. In January Dr. Dean Adams will assume the full time position as director of the management utilization and protection of water resources. He interpreted the center in his future duties. It's an interdisciplinary approach to water so it will involve civil engineering biology chemistry a number of programs on campus as well as we hope many funding agencies state and local agencies and trying to solve and help them with their water needs. It will be in the future bring in a considerable amount of research time and money. Which will be a benefit. We should be able to upgrade our instrumentation our research facilities because of the center

and bring in some the national recognizes experts in the water field. I think this center can be a very beneficial community in helping the community with their water problems as well. Again I'm not familiar with the city and their needs but I would assume they've got some kind of a drinking water facility and some type of waste facility. And we can certainly have input to that if they wish so in terms of natural sources in the area certainly can have an input there too and in terms of research we do and hopefully in cleaning up a lake or producing a better quality of water certainly within our realm. I've had lots and lots of experience with water quality. I have spent the past 12 years at Utah State University at the Utah Water Research Laboratory. I've had a number of capacities or been supervisor of the laboratory and I've been head of the environmental engineering program. I've been involved with numerous research projects everywhere from clean water to dirty water and

clean like projects drinking water sludge projects variety of experience in the water. And water related areas. I think the goals are pretty much spelled out by the Center program. To become a center of excellence they got to meet certain criteria and I think that we can follow that pretty well in fact I think we can beat that criteria. I personally have seven graduate students working for me now at Utah State and I anticipate that I'll have a number here both graduate and undergraduate students. I think that the educational institution were here to train students and do research and I think that the combination of the two is very very nice. The first project will be determining with Dr. Bustamante and Dr. Bonar what has been done what we need to accomplish by the end of the fiscal year what the status

is of the projects that are started and then the students who are involved the center and to make sure that we're going to meet the goals objectives that we need to by the by the end of the fiscal year. I'm delighted to be here. Cookeville area seems very nice. The weather is very pleasant compared to what I just came from. And we are looking forward to my family and I have coming here and participating in that attack. And again I'm very very happy to be involved the center the Centers of Excellence will have a significant impact on Tennessee technological university president wrote comments on the Center's future for Tennessee Tech and for the community and the legislature appropriated for this current year. Ten million dollars for centers of excellence as I said. We have we were able to get two million dollars of the 10 million dollars for centers here at Tennessee

Technological University. There are centers on campuses or around the state of Tennessee and Iowa. We are now in the second round of proposals for the second year. We expect 15 million dollars to be appropriated by the journal assembly for next year for centers of excellence and we expect the following year 20 million dollars so new proposals are now being developed by universities across state. There is a talking logic your university has developed for additional proposals. We doubt that all four would be approved if they were they would pretty well consume the 5 million dollars thats available for the state. But there are good proposals there worthy of being approved and I think that one or two maybe more will be approved. We have proposed one in electrical

power. This would be based in electrical engineering and we have been doing a lot of outstanding research and development work in the in the electrical power area. Working with the TVA and working with the TV PPA which is I. An organization that services the power industry across the state of Tennessee and is sort of an R&D arm for it. So we've been centrally involved in that and we have good support of the electrical power industry throughout Tennessee for that. And I think it's an excellent one and I and I think it will compete very effectively with all the other proposals Asika and one is is is ice appear your proposal to and it's a proposal from physics specifically in the area of nuclear physics now we prepared a proposal for nuclear physics last year which was approved and ranked very high though it was not

funded because there was an overlap a slight overlap in the high energy physics area with a proposal from the University of Tennessee. So version was approved. Ours was no. In an effort not to get any duplications across state and my dad that. University Tennessee also had a proposal on manufacturing. Ours was approved as was not in order to eliminate any semblance of duplication. We have two others that we have submitted one an educational evaluation from the College of Education. The whole better schools notion had built into it extensive evaluation in order to make sure that we improve public education across Tennessee. But we have no here in Tennessee a center for the Study of evaluation and for carrying out the valuation

of professionals in the schools and programs in the schools no relief and center like many other states have. We have one in music. The consultants who reviewed that thought very highly of it. Many people are surprised that Tennessee Technological University has such outstanding music program but we have some internationally acclaimed composers and performers and teachers and in our department of music. So it just made all manner sense for us to develop a proposal for a center of excellence to further expand expand and enrich what we already have going in music. It's just so refreshing to have Tennessee highlighted as a front runner in educational innovation particularly in higher education. And I think it's very well-deserved I think the executive leadership and their legislative leadership that works so long and hard on this deserve a lot of accolades

for how far highlighting Tennessee education and recognizing that education is where it's I at.