$25M federal award to expand robotics development, entrepreneurship, outreach

Huskers (including STEM CONNECT students Clara Perez and Brandon Ramos at left) work on a drone swarm idea in a College of Engineering lab. The federal award will expand all levels of robotics instruction on campus. Craig Chandler | UComm
Huskers (including STEM CONNECT students Clara Perez and Brandon Ramos at left) work on a drone swarm idea in a College of Engineering lab. The federal award will expand all levels of robotics instruction on campus. Craig Chandler | UComm

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is taking a lead role in a $25 million federal award that will push the boundaries of robotics innovation and serve as an economic driver for the Cornhusker State.

The award is part of a $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge program announced Sept. 2 by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Nebraska’s $25 million award will establish a Heartland Robotics Cluster. The university’s $14.8 million portion of the award includes $9.3 million to build out robotics-related research and teaching spaces in Kiewit Hall, Scott Engineering Center and Splinter Labs.

Additional allocations will utilize resources at Nebraska Innovation Studio and The Combine, both located at Nebraska Innovation Campus. And, the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership, part of the university’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, will use $1.4 million to develop an automation demonstration space and program for Nebraska manufacturers.

Read more:
https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/25m-federal-award-to-expand-robotics-development-entrepreneurship-outreach/