LBCC Receives Second Year of National Science Foundation Grant
The National Science Foundation awarded Linn-Benton Community College’s Mechatronics Program with the second year of a three-year Advanced Technological Education grant. NSF approved the release of $241,564 of additional funding for the second year of the grant, bringing the total awarded to the college to date to $506,759. The Mechatronics Program received the NSF ATE grant in 2010. According to Denis Green, Mechatronics and Industrial Maintenance faculty and department chair, the overall purpose of the grant is to expand the scope and reach of the program. “We are expanding our teaching of sustainable energy in wind, solar, biofuels, and biomass,” said Green. “In tandem with sustainable energy, we are emphasizing energy efficiency, believing the most cost effective way to save energy is to use less of it.” The reach of the program is being expanded through blended learning offerings, creating pathway certificates and recruiting high school students into Mechatronics training, sai...