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Blueprint for Success
MTSU’s new $74.8 million Applied Engineering Building prepares students for a constantly changing technical world
by Drew Ruble and Randy Weiler
Explosive growth in programs, especially Mechatronics Engineering, was central to the University’s decision to build a $74.8 million, 89,000-square-foot Applied Engineering Building (AEB).
The AEB, home to the Engineering Technology Department, opened on the southeast side of campus in August. It sits next to the School of Concrete and Construction Management, a $40.1 million, 54,000-square-foot facility that opened three years previously.
“This is another state-of-the-art facility that puts the finishing touches on our Science Corridor of Innovation,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. The corridor includes the MTSU Science Building opened in 2014, as well as pre-existing science facilities on campus.
“We are committed to providing our students with the latest, cutting-edge technology and resources to ensure they’re well prepared for the in-demand jobs this facility will train them to do.”
College of Basic and Applied Sciences Dean Greg Van Patten said the AEB “represents a new phase in the life of the department—a progression into a new era of possibilities for our faculty and students.”
In addition to the renowned Mechatronics Engineering program, the department offers a major in Engineering Technology with three concentrations—Computer Engineering Technology, Electromechanical Engineering Technology, and Mechanical Engineering Technology.
Features in the new building include a Makerspace area, new robotics equipment, and industry-inspired automation and fabrication labs.
Nearly $1.2 million in equipment has been donated or purchased for the new building, including gifts from generous corporate supporters Dexcom and Automation Nth that will help bridge the gap between industry and education.
This includes 10 Flexbase automation work centers from Dexcom valued at almost $920,000. The units were sold to Dexcom by La Vergne-based Automation Nth, which committed more than $100,000 in supplies and services to upgrade the units—integrated work cells with robotics, vision systems, and controls.
These two companies are showcased in the new building with the 2,000-square-foot Dexcom Automation Laboratory and 500-square-foot Automation Nth Vision Systems Lab.
RELATED ARTICLE—Engineering the Future: Donor gifts power MTSU’s new Applied Engineering Building
