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Ingenuity Frontier News |
Spring/Summer 2007
Our congratulations to
Bagley Public Schools -
2007 KERN Family Foundation
Funding Award Winner! |
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Ingenuity Frontier at the Capitol |
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On March 6, representatives of Ingenuity Frontier (IF) travelled down to St. Paul to meet with northwest Minnesota legislators. Brita Sailer, District 2B, Frank Moe, District 4A and Paul Marquart, District 9B, were in attendance.
According to Michelle Landsverk, Ingenuity Frontier Project Coordinator, “We wanted our legislators to be aware of the great strides we have made here in the region and also the challenges we still face."
One accomplishment which Ingenuity Frontier is most proud of is the development of two, new degree programs available to students through the BSU Department of Technological Studies beginning in the fall of 2007: a nationally accredited BS degree in Engineering Technology and an online degree in Applied Engineering Technology. These two programs were designed in response to industry partners who have helped to shape Ingenuity Frontier from its very inception. The career ladder designed by Center Director, Karen White, has been applauded as one that has "no dead ends."
One of the areas which Ingenuity Frontier pointed out as a remaining challenge is funding for middle and high schools who are implementing Project Lead The Way.
This widely acclaimed pre-engineering curriculum is currently being implemented in seven northwest Minnesota schools. The curriculum is excellent,
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Pictured left to right: Paul Marquart, Kari Howe, Brita Sailer, Bonnie Stewart, Frank Moe, John Ostrem, Karen White and Michelle Landsverk.
but for many schools the high cost of implementation is prohibitive. "We initially set a goal of six Project Lead The Way schools. Much to our delight, we have already surpassed that goal. However, the biggest surprise to us was the difficulty we have faced in finding additional funding to assist these schools," said Bonnie Stewart, Director of Development, Northland College.
All seven of these schools have received funding from the KERN Family Foundation, but these grants cover only a portion of the cost. "If the state would appropriate more funding for technical education it would be a big help," said Karen White, Center Director.
All in all, Ingenuity Frontier's day at the Capitol was a productive one, spent making meaningful connections with northwest Minnesota's decision makers.
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Center for Manufacturing & Applied Engineering Launches New Brand |
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“Make MORE Money, Gain MORE skills and Be in MORE Demand” is the motivating message of the SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SUCCESS campaign launched last week by 360°. The Media Blitz, blanketing central and northwestern portions of Minnesota for much of April and into May features an outdoor campaign including out-state billboards, metro bus shelters and interior bus cards, highlighted by a radio campaign of over 400 ads running on 17 stations, cutting a swath from the Twin Cities north all the way up to Thief River Falls.
The Target: Two groups, students, along with their parents and influencers, who are interested in jumping on the career path of manufacturing and applied engineering, and incumbent employees who wish to enhance career movement with further education. The real impetus for the campaign is the adoption of 360° as the Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence’s brand identity, culminating with the launch of www.360mn.org—a website the organization is using to communicate its basic tenet of a Seamless Career Pathway.
The campaign calls potential students of manufacturing and applied engineering to log on to use the website’s innovative and unique Interactive Career Pathways tool. There they have the opportunity to see where a certain path of engineering education could take them, the kind of work they would likely end up doing, and potential levels of income and benefits at each step. Most importantly the tool shows career advancements prospective employees could achieve in choosing a particular pathway, and specific information on the 360° partner institutions programs to help them.
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Creating the Brand: “The primary issue we had to tackle as a group when we began discussions of branding was how to concisely wrap up just what it is that a Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Center of Excellence in Manufacturing and Applied Engineering does,” said Karen White, 360° Director. “Aside from the name being a mouthful, the group’s dual mission is student recruitment on the one hand, and strong industry relationships on the other, to keep the pipeline of qualified employees available to industry. It is not something that can be easily, quickly, or completely explained, especially with a confusing, long name.”
The name 360° cleverly implies two things: 1) a circle, or surrounding yourself with 360°(degrees) of success and 2) °(degrees)- alluding to the many choices that the educational partner institutions offer in the way of certificates and degree levels for students to gain exactly what it is that they are seeking in entering and exiting the Seamless Career Pathway. The brand’s circular logo and website’s clever, hip, graphic designs and photos punctuate the message of something being encircled. “Our marketing mission was to clear up that complexity with an appropriate name and identity that can compete in the very dynamic business of manufacturing and applied engineering,” added White. “I believe we have succeeded.”
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Equipment Donations Sought |
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The Applied Research Center located at Bemidji State University and Northland College's ETAS program are seeking donations of equipment or cash donations that can be used to purchase equipment.
The following list of equipment is needed:
3D Simulation Applied Research Lab Equipment List
- 3DH 46" LCD system
- Traveling Demonstration Set-up
- Demonstration Back-up Tower
Automation Applied Research Lab Equipment List
- Novamill ATC Productivity Package
- CNC Mill FMS Integration Package
- Student LAPS, Manufacturing Processes (Novamill)
- CNC Lathe FMS Integration Package
- Student LAPS, Manufacturing Processes 2 (Nova)
- Assessment Guide, Manufacturing Processes 2 (Nova)
- Storage and Retrieval System
Materials Testing Applied Research Lab Equipment List
- Nanovea ST400 3D Non-Contact Profiling
- TCE N300 Thermostatic Chamber
- Pendulum Impact Testers
- Microscope Digital Camera
- Metallographic Sample Preparation Equipment
- Drying Oven
- Analytic Balance
- PC
- Melt Flow Index Tester - Method A
Vibration and Acoustics Applied Research Lab Equipment List
- Modal Exciters Types 4825 and 4826
- DC Static Centering Unit Typoe 1056
- Portable PULSE - 3560C
- 6-Channel Charge & CCLD Input Module
- Output Channels
- Controller Modules
- Impact Hammers
- Force Transducers Impedance Heads
- Accelerometers
- Cables and Accessories
- Human Vibration Analyzer Type 4447
- Microphones
- Microphone Preamplifiers
- Artificial Ears and Ear Simulators
- Cables for Microphones and Preamplifiers
- Acoustic Calibrators
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LabVolt Robotics Additions
- Rotary Carousel for 5250
- Stock Feeder, Penumatic without Controller
- Stock Feeder, Penumatic with Controller
- Controller for 5122
- Conveyor, Belt
- Gravity Feeder, Cylinder
- Gravity Feeder, Flat
Er-4U Additions
- Proxi Switch for Er-4u
- Vertical Gravity Feeder Er-4U
- Experiment Table Er-4U
- Linear Slide for Er-4U 1 meter
- Rotary Table - 24V with Proximity Sensor with Attachment to Rotary Table
- Robocell for SCORBOT-ER 4u - Additional Software License
- SkillsUSA Robotic and Automation Package w/o: ER-4U, Slide Base, Teach Pendant and Conveyor
- Gravity Feeder w/Part Present Switch
- Power Adapter for Linear Conveyor
- Linear Conveyor - 24V with Power Supply and Proximity Sensor with Attachment to Linear Conveyor
Pneumatics Bench to Match
- Tray, Storage
- Bench, Unassembled
- Pneumatic-1Trainer, Table-top
- Work Surface & Pan
- Work Surface & Pan, "A Frame"
Hydraulics to Match Existing
- Bench, Unassembled
- Tray, Storage
- Hudraulic-1 Trainer, Table-top
- Work Surface & Pan
- Work Surface & Pan, "A Frame"
For more information or
to make a donation,
please contact
Michelle Landsverk
218-435-2834
info@ingenuityfrontier.com
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Who is Ingenuity Frontier?
Ingenuity Frontier is a collaborative project of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation,
Bemidji State University, Headwaters Regional Development Commission, Northland Community and Technical College and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
These partners are working collaboratively to increase the pool of manufacturing and
engineering talent in
northwest Minnesota, promote a local culture of innovation and
brand the region as a hub of engineering talent and innovation.
For more information
call the Northwest Minnesota Foundation: 1-800-659-78599 |
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