9451706 Saboury The University, through strong support of industrial sponsors such as McDonnel Douglas Corporation and Catepiller Inc, has obtained material and financial support for an industrially relevant polyermic composites laboratory. The main objective of this project is to improve and augment the materials laboratory equipment to provide hands-on experience in the fields of design, processing and characterization of polymer- matrix composites for the undergraduate students in the College of Engineering and Technology. This project will affect up to 9 courses including junior-level materials courses in manufacturing and mechanical engineering, a senior project and technical elective courses. A new laboratory instruction manual will be developed over a two-year period during the implementation of the project. Outreach activities are under development to involve pre-service teachers in the materaials science course which is being enhanced. Additionally, the laboratory will be opened to regular visits by high school students, including a substantial number from underrepresented minorities, from the local area and region.
