What does a concrete block, a plastic wrench, coffee grounds, an air heater, a spiked shoe and a bucket of sludge all have in common? These aren’t tools to survive a hypothetical scenario on a deserted island. They are six items that, on any given day in the engineering labs at Slippery Rock University, students are handling to solve real-world problems.
In the SRU Engineering Department, “practical, hands-on experience” is not an overused expression. That’s because there’s more action to back up those words. Faculty and students are busy getting their hands dirty, often literally.
Across six laboratories on campus, some of which also function as classrooms with modular equipment, SRU students are gaining experiences and learning through projects led by faculty with industry experience and insights. The work occurs in the labs and outside in the community. The following are only a sampling of projects happening at SRU, using six objects that might seem random or insignificant, but they tell a story that makes a huge impact for academic discovery and human growth.
