UNF Signs Educational Partnership Agreement with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The University of North Florida and the Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) today signed an Educational Partnership Agreement, which is designed to be a framework outlining cooperative educational collaborations between UNF and USACE in the STEM subject areas—math, science, engineering and technology—for purposes of developing student scientists and engineers.
UNF President John A. Delaney and USACE Jacksonville District Cmdr. Col. Alan Dodd signed the partnership agreement during a ceremony this morning in the President’s Conference Room on campus, establishing the basis for mutual understanding and cooperation between the USACE and the UNF School of Engineering in the implementation of an Educational Partnership
Program.
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been engineering solutions for our nation’s greatest challenges since 1775 and is a leader in STEM,” said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District Commander Col. Alan Dodd. “Learning is a lifelong process, and one of the most effective ways to learn is to assist in developing others. We’re committed to teaming with others to strengthen STEM-related programs that inspire current and future generations of young people to pursue careers in STEM fields.”
The purpose of the partnership is to encourage and enhance study in STEM disciplines for UNF students and faculty. The UNF school of Engineering in the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction will be a prime beneficiary of the agreement by providing further opportunities for student internships and jobs, as well as possible future collaborative research opportunities between the two organizations.
“The educational partnership is very important to the further economic development of the region since it will help the University produce more ready-to-work scientists and engineers, plus cement an existing University-Federal agency cooperative relationship,” said Dr. Chris Brown, UNF assistant professor of civil engineering and the main architect of the USACE agreement.
The agreement is an important step for the UNF School of Engineering and is in line with the engaged, community-based approach of its curriculum. “Our students and faculty work on real-world problems of importance to the region, state and nation,” said Dr. Mark Tumeo, dean of the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction at UNF. “This educational partnership is one more important part of that mission.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District is the second largest civil works district in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
with an area of responsibility encompassing Florida and the Caribbean. The Corps of Engineers is a major command in the U.S. Army, with more than 34,000 civilians and over 650 soldiers, dedicated to delivering engineering services to customers in 90 countries worldwide. The Jacksonville District provides quality planning, engineering, construction/operations products and
services to meet the needs of the Armed Forces and the nation.
The College of Computing, Engineering and Construction at UNF offers exciting and demanding degree programs that lead to highly rewarding careers. One of the College’s hallmarks is the interaction of the faculty with students on research projects. Faculty is committed to preparing students to make significant contributions to their chosen professions and the Northeast Florida region and beyond. For more information about CCEC’s bachelor degree program, visit http://www.unf.edu/ccec/<http://www.unf.edu/ccec/> .
UNF, a nationally ranked <http://www.unf.edu/president/university-awards.aspx> university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.
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