(538d) Academic-Industrial-Government Collaboration through the Engineering Clinic Program at Rowan University

Rowan University has developed a program that fosters synergistic interaction between industry and academia. This Engineering Clinic Program provides a mechanism for performing industrially sponsored research or design projects in an academic environment.

One of the unique features of this program is its integration into the undergraduate curriculum. Participation in this Engineering Clinic program is required of all Engineering undergraduate students for all four semesters of their junior and senior years. In addition to providing a mechanism to introduce emerging technologies relevant to regional industries, the clinics provide the students with exposure to industrial projects with real deadlines and deliverables, and an opportunity to develop their project management, teamwork and oral and written communication skills.

This program offers the industrial sponsor a cost-effective approach to problem solving with the potential for a high return on investment, through technical assistance from advanced undergraduate engineering students supervised by faculty. In addition, the company has the opportunity to watch for potential interns and employees for future hire.

Successful synergistic interaction between industry and academia through the Rowan Engineering Clinic Program will be presented through case studies. The development of projects involving three-way Industry-Academic-Government interaction will also be described. In addition to describing the benefits and successes of these collaborations, some of the challenges and obstacles that have been encountered will also be addressed.