UCO School of Engineering Celebrates Grand Opening of New Makerspace

April 12, 2023

Media Contact: Tami Jackson, Development and Marketing Coordinator, UCO College of Mathematics and Science, 405-974-2740, tjackson45@uco.edu

UCO School of Engineering Celebrates Grand Opening of New Makerspace  

The University of Central Oklahoma School of Engineering celebrated the official grand opening of its newly renovated makerspace on Central’s campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception, April 6. 

The makerspace will enhance existing engineering courses, provide a launchpad for new curriculum development in advanced manufacturing and help engineering students gain relevant skills for the workforce. It also provides students with a well-designed space to accommodate research and design needs. 

“We wanted a space where engineers, software developers, graphic designers, marketers and others could create innovative products using computational design and advanced manufacturing,” said Evan Lemley, Ph.D., director of the School of Engineering at Central.

“It is exciting and motivating to continue to do the work to make this space more than just a place for equipment, but a community of makers." 

The makerspace received funding from the Oklahoma legislature and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) to address critical workforce needs. 

"This is an amazing addition to the already outstanding UCO School of Engineering," said Connie Reilly, chairperson for the Board of Regents with the Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO). 

"UCO was a good steward of this funding, and the state of Oklahoma is going to reap those benefits. This university is going to provide more well-trained graduates into the career of engineering." 

Additional funding was received through a grant from Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners, to support the new makerspace. The grant will fund the Boeing Reverse Engineering and Rapid Prototyping Lab. 

"Today, we are celebrating the future of engineering innovation in the metropolitan area. A lab like this is crucial to the education and growth of our future engineers here in Oklahoma," said Bailey Perkins Wright, community investor at Boeing.

Central’s makerspace will provide a range of opportunities including hands-on experience, equitable access to students of diverse backgrounds and a tailored setting that offers students to train for specific workplace environments.

For more information about the UCO School of Engineering, visit www.uco.edu/cms/academics/engineering/.

For more information about the UCO College of Mathematics and Science, visit uco.edu/cms/.

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Editor's Note: Download art associated with this release at https://media.uco.edu/press/uploads/2023/04/3dz4273.jpg

Cutline: The University of Central Oklahoma School of Engineering celebrated the official grand opening of its newly renovated makerspace on Central’s campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception, April 6. Pictured, left to right, Jeff Napoliello, senior vice president and director at Guernsey; Bailey Perkins Wright, community investor at Boeing; Gloria Caddell, Ph.D., dean of the UCO College of Mathematics and Science; Evan Lemley, Ph.D., director of the UCO School of Engineering; Connie Reilly, chairperson for the Board of Regents with the Regional University System of Oklahoma; Andy Fugate, Oklahoma state representative; and, Chuck Hughes, Ph.D., former chairperson of the former UCO Department of Engineering and Physics.