New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is pleased to announce the support of State Senator Paul A. Sarlo (D-Bergen) and Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union), as well as numerous industry leaders for an allocation in New Jersey's Fiscal Year 2018 State Budget to support Makerspace at NJIT. Joining Senator Sarlo and Assemblyman Bramnick in support of a $10 million allocation to this project are the Research and Development Council of New Jersey; ExxonMobil Research and Engineering; Sharp Robotics; Specialty Systems, Inc.; Panasonic Corporation of North America; Stryker Joint Replacement; SMH International; Imperial Machine and Tool Co.; and the U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering Center.
Makerspaces are part of a national movement that is fundamentally changing the way government, educators, and industry partners will collaborate in the future. Makerspaces enable hands-on, project-based learning complemented by training on industrial equipment, development of prototyping skills, and experience with modern manufacturing technology. Students learn real world, tangible skills such as product design and prototyping, manual and computerized metal and wood work, industrial metrology, and computer aided design. These skills prepare them to enter the workplace and take leading roles in manufacturing and product development.
The NJIT Makerspace also will provide opportunities for industrial partners to participate as mentors, trainers, and instructors. Companies can collaborate with students and faculty members on research and development projects or send employees for customized training tailored to their needs. The NJIT Makerspace will offer training courses in a variety of formats ranging from small-group sessions to full-scale courses covering major manufacturing equipment and technologies. Courses and workshops will be offered as part of certificate programs or stand-alone units and can be delivered in a variety of formats matching the needs of a manufacturer or employer.
NJIT President Joel S. Bloom said, "An industrially-focused makerspace such as the one we are building at NJIT is a training-focused, rapid prototyping facility that operates a wide variety of equipment from small 3D printers to large industrial machining centers. Engineers and technicians from industry will utilize the NJIT Makerspace, which will be open to the public, to meet many of their business needs."
Senator Sarlo noted, "This is an important workforce development initiative for our state. The economy of the present and of the future will be driven by technology, and producing graduates who have the technological capabilities necessary to meet the needs of our key industries is a must if we are to prosper as a state. NJIT excels at accomplishing this task and will be able to further enhance its effectiveness and impact with the addition of Makerspace."
Of his support for the $10 million allocation from the state fiscal year 2018 budget Assemblyman Bramnick said, "This program will transform students' lives and set them on a great path toward their future careers. Students will learn real world, tangible skills that will prepare them to enter the workplace and take leading roles in manufacturing and product development."
Makerspaces have become an integral part of teaching, learning, and industry relationships at major universities such as Yale, NYU, Northwestern, MIT, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Michigan. Makerspace at NJIT will be the largest educational facility of its kind in New Jersey. State-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure will be designed to augment NJIT's rigorous course work, train students on modern equipment, support student organizations, foster entrepreneurial activities, and retrain members of the workforce.
Key features of the NJIT Makerspace will include:
- Product design and prototyping
- Industry Standard Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Machining (CAM) Software
- CNC machining
- Additive manufacturing (3D printing)
- Metalwork and welding
- Electronics design, assembly, and manufacturing
- Industrial metrology (measurement and verification)
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ABOUT NJIT
One of the nation's leading public technological universities, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is a top-tier research university that prepares students to become leaders in the technology-dependent economy of the 21st century. NJIT's multidisciplinary curriculum and computing-intensive approach to education provide technological proficiency, business acumen and leadership skills. With an enrollment of 11,400 graduate and undergraduate students, NJIT offers small-campus intimacy with the resources of a major public research university. NJIT is a global leader in such fields as solar research, nanotechnology, resilient design, tissue engineering, and cybersecurity, in addition to others. NJIT is among the top U.S. polytechnic public universities in research expenditures, exceeding $130, and is among the top 1 percent of public colleges and universities in return on educational investment, according to PayScale.com. NJIT has a $1.74 billion annual economic impact on the State of New Jersey.