Since its inception 30 years ago, Texas A&M University’s Industrial Assessment Center has educated more than 320 engineering students on how to successfully apply energy conservation techniques in real-world situations. The center provides no-cost studies of manufacturing plants within 150 miles of College Station, analyzing a plant’s energy, waste and productivity issues. To date, the center has served over 725 clients, and saved Texas manufacturers over $250 million.
Dr. Bryan Rasmussen, associate professor and Leland T. Jordan Career Development Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M, will continue to serve as the director of one of the 28 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs).
“During the next 5 years, we will expand our efforts to service wastewater treatment facilities, and assist clients in industrial cybersecurity,” Rasmussen said.
The DOE has allocated $35 million to set-up and operate 28 IACs in 25 states across the country. Texas A&M will receive $1.575 million over five years to train engineering students and conduct energy assessments.
“Students working in the Industrial Assessment Center have an unmatched opportunity for training and hands-on application of engineering design and analysis techniques,” Rasmussen said. “Our students are highly recruited, and studies by independent organizations have shown that they receive higher salaries.”
Upon completion, students working in the IAC receive a DOE certification and experiences that count toward professional certifications in energy management.
The Texas A&M IAC has also been selected to serve as the mentor for a new IAC that will be hosted at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. This will expand opportunities for manufacturing training programs in underserved areas and expand the technical assistance.
More information about the Texas A&M IAC, jointly hosted by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Energy Systems Laboratory at Texas A&M, can be found at: iac.tamu.edu and iac.university.