UVU: UVU Is Addressing The Need For More Engineers And Computer Scientists

: UVU college students take part in the Engineering Technology Show on April 13, 2016 in the Computer Science Building on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem.

: The mechatronics engineering expertise program on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem on January 9, 2017.

: The Electrical Automation & Robotics Technology DVD case and SMC machine at Utah Valley University in Orem on February 26, 2013.

August Miller, UVU Marketing

UVU college students take part in the Engineering Technology Show on April 13, 2016 in the Computer Science Building on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem.

According to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institutethere have been 238,400 full-time and part-time engineering and computer science jobs in Utah in 2020, producing $19.1 billion in earnings, representing about 15% of Utah’s $200 billion economic system.

With the progress on this workforce sector, the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) is attempting to maintain up with the state’s thirst for more engineers and computer scientists. For instance, engineering and computer science graduates from all Utah schools mixed went from 1,540 in 2000 to three,700 in 2020. Despite these optimistic commencement outcomes, Utah has 3,000 to 4,000 engineering job openings yearly.

A driving think about the ever-increasing need is the fast progress of firms and start-ups in Silicon Slopes, primarily positioned in Utah County. It was arduous to maintain up with that progress. The expertise scarcity has compelled some firms, similar to Qualtrics, so as to add places of work elsewhere or depart the state altogether.

Leaders at Utah Valley University (UVU) are working diligently to extend the variety of engineering and computer science graduates. “We’re hiring several new faculty members in the coming year in mechanical, civil and electrical engineering, and we’re really going to focus on where UVU can add value to this engineering discipline as a whole,” stated Kelly Flanagan, dean of the Scott M. Smith College of Engineering and Technology at UVU. “We can train engineers who are very applied, very ready to go to work, ready to do real things, and do it in a way that really meets the needs of our regional industry partners.”

In 2021, Qualtrics co-founder Scott M. Smith and his spouse Karen donated $25 million for a brand new engineering constructing and improved programming at UVU. The Smiths’ present began a non-public marketing campaign to boost $40 million wanted to start building on a 180,000-square-foot, five-story constructing, to be referred to as the Scott M. Smith Engineering and Technology Building. UVU will search the bulk of the funding from the state legislature, however the early confidence and dedication of trade leaders like Scott Smith underscores this venture’s significance to Utah’s tech economic system.

Jay Drowns, UVU Marketing

The mechatronics engineering expertise program on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem on January 9, 2017.

By setting up a brand new constructing on its Orem campus, UVU will create more area for in-demand applications similar to computer methods, software program improvement and net improvement. “It will have spaces for flying drones and drone research, smart grid electric projects and many other things,” Flanagan stated.

Currently, the College of Engineering and Technology is unfold over a number of buildings, together with the Gunther Technology Building and the Computer Science Building, which had been constructed more than 20 years in the past. After 20 years and important scholar inhabitants and program progress, the faculty’s wants far exceeded the capability of the buildings.

Faculty and administration have spent loads of time making certain that the Smith Building is the proper match for the college and the college students. “It’s going to be the hallmark of our building — an engineering and technology building built for students, and it’s going to be a really fun thing to enjoy,” Flanagan stated.

According to Flanagan, the Smith Building shall be geared up with good sensors to watch structural loading, warmth acquire and loss, and key inside and exterior environmental elements. It will use digital and augmented actuality to teach college students and guests about cyber safety, structural design, buildings’ heating and cooling wants, human thermal consolation, indoor and outside air high quality, water and power use and waste, and sustainability. Temporal information shall be collected and used as a part of an AI system to make the constructing more attentive to environmental elements and effectivity wants. Lessons discovered by AI will educate college students tips on how to design more environment friendly buildings in the future.

In addition, the Smith Building shall be a preferred gathering place, with a restaurant and different facilities. “We are very excited to include an upstairs restaurant that will likely be run by UVU’s Culinary Arts program and open several days a week for lunch and dinner,” Flanagan stated. “It will also be open before performances at The Noorda Center for Performing Arts. We hope it has that kind of flavor to it.”