CCEFP's Vision for Education

The CCEFP calls its education program "K-100 Learning" because it encompasses activities for all age groups and all levels of professionalism. Over 15% of the multi-million dollar budget for the Center is directed towards educational activities.

New Opportunities for Faculty & Students
Within the universities, the Center will fund almost 40 graduate students every year who will work on advanced fluid power research, develop new fluid power laboratories and test benches, collaborate with the fluid power industry, and create new courses and textbooks. Twelve new faculty with fluid power expertise will also be added at six of the universities.

Project Lead The Way®, the premier pre-engineering and engineering technology curriculum in the nation, is pleased to work closely with the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Engineering Research Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) in reaching key goals of the CCEFP's public education thrust. PLTW will be engaged in creating junior high and high school curriculum study lessons on fluid power, offering an intensive professional development program, and assessing the effectiveness of the newly developed curriculum. This curriculum development is being supported by NFPA.

In conjunction with the CCEFP, an interactive fluid power exhibit will be developed by SMM and installed in its Experiment Gallery. 

The exhibit will not only show the principles of fluid power in a fun and informative manner, but will also highlight the exciting possibilities for fluid power of the future. A diverse team of teenagers will work with Center personnel to develop demonstrations and activities relevant to fluid power for use at the Museum and with school classes.

Internships
Industrial internships will be a centerpiece of the Center’s education and outreach efforts. A survey of NFPA’s Board members indicated that 50 interns per year would be a reasonable expectation, making this one of the largest internship programs in the country, and an excellent way for fluid power companies to have the very best young engineers working for them during the summer. 

Continuing Education
The Center will also have a comprehensive continuing education program for industry. NFPA member companies can participate in periodic webcast presentations of new developments.

Hands-on Learning
The Center will design and build laboratory equipment to facilitate flexibility and extend the CCEFP’s instructional reach by making everything transportable, and by using technology to deliver courses anywhere in the United States.


For further information contact Linda Western.