Never Too Cool for School

Research involving collaborations between universities and industry has remained steady over the past decade, but there are some who think those opportunities have room to expand. In an afternoon session titled Getting the Most Out of Collaborations with University Research, representatives from two research projects opined about the advantages of these arrangements.

North Carolina State University (NCSU) has worked with CHOMARAT to develop a carbon fiber grid reinforcement for structural precast panels. Rudolf Seracino, associate professor at NCSU, pointed out the benefits industry could find by working with schools. In addition to access to faculty, students, and equipment, publication in peer-reviewed journals adds unbiased credibility to the research.

Seracino also discussed the variety of partnership opportunities available to the industry. Including federal agencies (such as the National Science Foundation), co-investing in cooperative research centers, structured testing and industry sponsorship of student researchers. This flexible structure allows both large and small companies to get in on the action. “We’re here to service a market where the types of services aren’t available elsewhere,” said Seracino.

John Carson, director of marketing at CHOMARAT, added additional factors from the industry perspective. Some of his “musts for success” include a clear understanding of the business objectives, a clear timeline, and ultimate findings suitable to the industry’s audience. Additionally, he said that companies should find a university within a reasonable distance from their operations. While many facilities have testing facilities, the close proximity helps maximize communication and cost-effectiveness.

In Canada, the University of Sherbrooke and Pultrall, Inc. have teamed to refine the company’s VRod, a no-rust composite rebar. Brahim Benmokrane, professor of civil engineering at Sherbrooke, says that not only does industry get access to cutting-edge facilities and research topics, but they help the next generation of engineers as well. “In these projects, students are essentially trained as employees, allowing the next generation of personnel to be increasingly trained and familiar with composites,” he said.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 at 1:00 pm and is filed under Research and Development. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.