SAU gets $1 Million from NSF

Nov. 18, 2004
By Jody Ferres and Jesse Virgil
Layout Editor and Staff Writer

SAU prides itself on giving students an “Ambrose Advantage.”  And now, thanks to a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, students enrolled in math, science and engineering programs will have an extra boost in the classroom.

And also in their wallets.

The grant will potentially reduce a student’s educational debt of $3,000 per year for Industrial Engineering, Pre-Engineering or Physics programs at SAU.

Another exciting aspect of the grant is that SAU will join forces with the Eastern Iowa Community College District, or EICCD, to boost interest and enrollment in those areas.  Because of the friendship between SAU and Scott Community College, Scott’s Dean of Applied Technologies, Rassoul Dastmozd, feels this is just part of the natural cooperation between the two schools.

“It helps students build a bridge to St. Ambrose.  We’ve always had good relationships and now we can formalize it,” Dastmozd said.  “Students can go from one to the other without loosing credit.”

For SAU, that means higher numbers in those disciplines that have seen a decrease in their numbers.

“This grant allows us to fund additional academics that are not traditionally offered by the University,” associate professor and chair of Industrial Engineering at SAU Michael Opar said.

In a recent study done by EICCD, 83 companies surveyed said that by 2006 more than 6,000 new and replacement employees will be needed in advanced manufacturing and other fields that are connected with the grant.

Dastmozd thinks this grant will be a help in getting those numbers from the domestic market.

“This country is going to have to import people from over-seas to fill these roles otherwise,” Dastmozd said.  “We may not have to know.  Hopefully we can diversify at the management and top levels in these fields.”

Through the grant, hopes are to increase enrollment in engineering by 20-30 new students at SAU and EICCD each year.  Part of that big push is getting minorities and women into these traditionally Caucasian male roles.  In fact, along with criteria being 21 on the ACT math score, high school GPA of 3.0 or better and B- in high school math and science, both women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

A similar 2001 grant in the computer science program increased St. Ambrose graduates in that field by 23 percent, officials say.  SAU hopes to graduate an additional 188 engineers because of the grant.

The grant will also make way for the opportunity to host a summer engineering camp.

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