Phase two construction brings IDEELab to life with enhanced learning experiences
Ross Smith
Mississippi State mechanical engineering faculty, staff and students are receiving a new space for research and collaboration with the ongoing construction of the Innovation, Design and Engineering Education Laboratory.
Located in Patterson Engineering Laboratories, the IDEELab is in phase two of a four-phase process to provide new labs, classrooms and student spaces for the Michael W. Hall School of Mechanical Engineering.
Phase one involved the construction of the $3 million Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory. Completed in May and funded entirely by private donors, the lab and its equipment include five computer numerical control machines, a water jet cutter, a wire electrical discharge machine, manual mills and lathes, welding machines, a plasma table and more.
Ross Smith, IDEELab director and MSU mechanical engineering assistant professor of practice, said the new lab enhances the excellent work faculty members are already doing.
“We’re transforming theoretical learning into practical experience by taking what’s taught in the classroom and bringing it to life through hands-on application,” Smith said. “This approach significantly enhances our students’ learning experience and ultimately shapes them into more skilled and capable engineers.”
IDEELab’s construction will result in five new industry research and educational labs. This will complete the multifunctional lab’s first floor, providing faculty with research equipment and combined industry-focused classrooms and labs. Construction is expected to conclude early next year.
With the addition of new facilities and cutting-edge equipment, Smith said the mechanical engineering department is significantly enhancing its ability to prepare students for success across various industries.
“Our faculty are able to integrate real-time industry insights directly into the classroom, equipping students with the skills and knowledge needed to fill critical roles within those same companies,” Smith said. “This creates a continuous cycle of improvement, ensuring our students are always workforce-ready and we are constantly advancing in our mission to produce top-tier engineers.”
The second floor will be finished in phases three and four, and will include a student lounge, private study rooms, conference rooms, a computer lab and more.
Smith said the second floor is dedicated to inspiring collaboration and building bonds among students.
“We’re trying to think about different things and what would be the best to put up there to impact our students and give them a better overall experience,” Smith said. “I tell our students all the time the best engineer is not a mechanical, industrial, electrical or civil engineer¾it’s a social engineer. As an engineer, if you’re able to effectively communicate and work as part of a team, you’re going to be successful.”
Phase four will complete the project with new technology and finished spaces to further enhance the university’s mechanical engineering program.
The Michael W. Hall School of Mechanical Engineering is online at www.me.msstate.edu and can be found on Facebook at @me.msstate and on Instagram and Twitter at @me_msstate.
The Bagley College of Engineering is online at www.bagley.msstate.edu and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube at @msuengineering.
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Aspen Harris | Bagley College of Engineering
