The Department of Defense (DOD) has inaugurated a new facility at Tuskegee University in Alabama that will support the study of various topics under aerospace and materials sciences.
The Aerospace Education Research and Innovation Center (AERIC) was sponsored by Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and built as part of a $2 million funding effort from Congress, DOD said Monday.
AERIC will explore how materials and components perform under harsh conditions and handle two-year undergraduate research programs in experimental aerodynamics and fatigue damage tolerance.
The center will also work with Boeing, Chevron, Dynetics and Wichita State University to drive education and research initiatives.
"The establishment of centers of excellence plays a vital role in our defense enterprise by stimulating research and innovation for the next generation of STEM leaders," said Jagadeesh Pamulapati, director at DOD's office of research, technology and laboratories.