Program To Prepare Students For Growing Robotics Job Market

WVU’s New Robotics Engineering Program to Receive $1 Million NASA Grant

Program to Prepare Students for Growing Robotics Job Market

Grant to Fund State-of-the-Art Equipment and Curriculum Enhancements

MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University is preparing its undergraduates and students across West Virginia to meet the demands of a growing robotics job market with the help of a $1 million grant from NASA.

The grant will support the inclusion of state-of-the-art new equipment and curriculum enhancements in WVU’s new robotics engineering program, which will prepare students for careers in robotics, automation and artificial intelligence.

“This grant from NASA is a tremendous investment in our students and the future of West Virginia,” said U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who helped secure the funding.

The four-year degree program is offered by the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources’ Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The program will provide students with a strong foundation in the fundamentals of robotics, including design, control, sensing and artificial intelligence.

“This program will provide our students with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in the rapidly growing field of robotics,” said WVU President Gordon Gee.

The robotics engineering program is part of WVU’s commitment to preparing its students for the jobs of the future. The University has made significant investments in new programs and facilities in recent years, including the opening of the Statler College’s new Engineering Sciences Building in 2021.

About the NASA Grant

• The grant is part of NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP).
• MUREP is designed to increase the participation of minority students and faculty in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
• The grant will fund the purchase of new equipment, including a robot manipulator, a mobile robot and a 3D printer.
• The grant will also support the development of new courses and the hiring of additional faculty.

Contact: Sean Ellis, Director, University Relations

sean.ellis@mail.wvu.edu

(304) 293-5088