Aric Veatch, left, and GENEDGE president and executive director Bill Donohue
By Keith Pierce
GENEDGE, a business consulting organization providing Virginia's industrial and manufacturing sectors access to expert business solutions, has pledged $250,000 over the next five years in the Engineering Makerspace and Invention Center (EMIC) in Old Dominion University's Batten College of Engineering and Technology.
"This partnership with GENEDGE is a win for our students," ODU President John R. Broderick said. "Old Dominion is proud to make such a unique space available where our student engineers can develop everything from innovations in medical technology and advanced manufacturing to breakthroughs in artificial intelligence. Without partners like GENEDGE, we could not offer the real-world components to prepare students to compete in technical fields nationally and globally."
"GENEDGE works with manufacturing, engineering and technology firms across the state, and we are committed to investing in the future of Hampton Roads," GENEDGE President and Executive Director Bill Donohue added. "We are proud to support the Engineering Makerspace and Invention Center at Old Dominion University."
The EMIC, located on the second floor of Monarch Hall, is a 7,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility where students collaborate on the ideation, design, prototyping and refinement of solutions to real-world challenges.
"We are excited to have GENEDGE help us advance the core mission of the College and connect students with practitioners and industry on meaningful projects," said Ben Stuart, interim dean of the Batten College of Engineering and Technology. "It represents a tremendous investment in our students, which will significantly enhance academic programs in the College and offer our students a distinct advantage as they launch their professional careers."
The free-to-use space, slated to open in the spring of 2021, promotes interdisciplinary collaboration for students in the College.
"Partnerships with companies like GENEDGE will allow students to work on more projects in the Makerspace. It also provides access to experts in the engineering and manufacturing fields," said Aric Veatch, an engineering management graduate student who serves as student operations manager for the EMIC.
Through the investment from GENEDGE, students will have significantly greater opportunities to advance their skills in hands-on problem-solving for real-world problems.
"Support for the Makerspace from partner companies like GENEDGE is critical for providing hands-on, engaging and real-world learning experiences," said Dan Genard, associate vice president for University Advancement. "We are grateful to GENEDGE for supporting Old Dominion in preparing Virginia's next generation of engineers."
For information about EMIC visit odu.edu/ess/emic.
