March 5, 2008
For Immediate Release
For an Interview:
Gordon Stokes
(801) 863-8284
The Micron Foundation, through the IM Flash Technology company, has donated $20,000 to UVSC’s School of Technology and Computing for student scholarships. The scholarships will go specifically to students in the new mechatronics associate of applied sciences degree program.
“This donation will help us attract students to this new and quite unknown area of study,” said Gordon Stokes, consultant to the Dean’s office of technology and computing. “The Micron Foundation had previously funded a $100,000 high tech electronics laboratory for the now defunct electronics program. This lab will become a centerpiece in the new Mechatronics program.”
Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary field combing computer programming, electronics and mechanical devices. It is the study of how to build ‘zippy’ mechanical devices, embed a computer, then design and build a program to control the device without wires.
“Mechatronics is the way of the future,” said Stokes. “More and more devices and systems have computers built into the system to provide flexibility in operations and to increase the capabilities of the systems.”
The funding will provide 10, two-semester scholarships of $1,000 per semester for students entering the mechatronics program during the 2008-2009 school year.
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College Marketing Contact:
Megan Laurie
(801) 863-7149
Written by:
Melissa Plowman
(801) 863-7205