With the help of Rolls-Royce, University Engineering and Commerce students will enjoy new opportunities from a partnership that is part of the company's statewide investment in the aerospace industry, Gov. Tim Kaine announced last week.
The company selected Virginia over seven other states to be home to its new jet engine manufacturing plant, which will be located in Prince George County; related educational and research opportunities will be extended to the University, Virginia Tech and schools within the Virginia Community College System through the partnership, according to a press release from Kaine.
This partnership will allow for the addition of 11 new faculty members to expand educational opportunities in the Engineering School, explained Barry Johnson, Engineering School associate research dean, adding that it will lead to more course offerings and thesis opportunities for undergraduates.
Students will also benefit from expanded opportunities for research as a result of the creation of two new research centers that will open in 2009, Johnson said. Both the Center for Aerospace Propulsion Systems, which will be headquartered at the University, and the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing? will be open to researchers and students from the University and from Virginia Tech.
The partnership also aims to increase cooperation between the Engineering School and the Commerce School, Johnson added.
"Rolls-Royce is very interested in the business side of engineering," he said.
According to Commerce School Dean Carl Zeithaml, the partnership will expand the business minor program within the Engineering School as well as create a new master's program in the Commerce School that will be open to Engineering students.
"We anticipate that students that have graduated from the [Engineering School] may stay for a fifth year to get business training," Zeithaml said.
According to Johnson?, the selection of the Commonwealth as the site for the partnership may relate to the University's existing relationship with Rolls-Royce -- both the Engineering School and the McIntire School of Commerce have worked with the company before. Rolls-Royce has funded past research at the Engineering School, and some of its employees have held positions on the Engineering School's board of directors.
Rolls-Royce also has frequently recruited University graduates to work for the company, Zeithaml said, adding that he expects to see recruitment increase as the new partnership develops.
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