Two South Dakota Mines students use the university flight simulator in
the Department of Electrical Engineering. Raven Industries gift will enhance
Mines’ new minor in avionics.
South Dakota
Mines’ Department of Electrical Engineering has received $150,000 from Raven Industries (NASDAQ:RAVN) to support the
university’s new minor in avionics. The company’s Aerostar division is the global leader in
stratospheric balloon technology, and its platforms are used for near-space
applications in aerospace, defense and scientific research. The gift endows a
Raven Aerostar scholarship to support students in the avionics program. It also
allows the department to buy equipment for improved design, test and
prototyping capabilities for high-speed electronic circuits needed in aircraft
and space avionics applications.
“We are grateful for the ongoing partnership the university has had with Raven Industries,”
says Mines President Jim Rankin, Ph.D. “This significant investment in avionics
will help our program excel."
“For decades, Raven has enjoyed a rewarding relationship
with South Dakota Mines, and we know first-hand the value of their education,
learning experiences and programs,” commented Dan Rykhus, president & CEO
of Raven Industries. “We believe strongly in the value of university
partnerships — for both Raven and for our industries — and this gift reflects
Raven Aerostar’s continued commitment to strengthening the next generation of
aerospace engineers and leaders."
Raven Aerostar also provided technical help to develop the new avionics
and aerospace engineering minors at Mines. This donation expands on the company’s
connection to the university. “Raven’s gift will enable us to widely deploy
these advanced toolsets and tools to all of our students, giving them valuable
practical experience. In addition, we anticipate sharing our upgraded
facilities with other departments on campus, especially the Department of
Computer Science and Engineering," says Tom Montoya, Ph.D., interim electrical
engineering department head.
Earlier this year, Raven gave $25,000 to the
university for the Aerospace Engineering Lab in the mechanical engineering
department.
“We are proud to support the continued expansion of the university’s avionics
and aerospace programs,” said Jim Nelson, division manager of Raven Aerostar.
“The talent that comes from South Dakota Mines matches the high-caliber needs
of our team. As we continue to see a high demand for top talent in aerospace
engineering and related fields, Raven Aerostar is excited to continue partnering
with the university on valuable learning opportunities for students in these
programs.”
Raven has been a
partner with South Dakota Mines for decades, including hiring interns, sponsoring
the Women in Science Engineering (WiSE) program and providing scholarship and
program support. Raven has a branch office on campus in the Ascent Innovations
Building. More than 50 South Dakota Mines alumni are current team members of Raven.