Lawrence Technological University and its industrial engineering programs are celebrating a $75,000 gift from Siemens Corporation, the United States subsidiary of the German industrial automation giant Siemens AG. The $75,000 is being awarded in the form of cash, hardware, and software.
According to Raj Batra, president of Siemens Digital Factory, U.S., the donation is intended to address growing workforce skills gaps in the industrial engineering and high-tech manufacturing sectors. The investment in LTU is also designed to help forge new pathways to the middle class for manufacturing workers.
Batra is an LTU alumnus, graduating from Lawrence Tech with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1990.
"Siemens’ donations will help establish an industrial engineering and manufacturing lab at LTU’s campus, and help establish a semi-automated mini assembly line using Siemens Digital Factory tools," Ahad Ali, associate professor and director of LTU’s Bachelor and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering programs, said in a statement. "It will be a great learning experience for our students, and help prepare a skilled workforce in the industrial and manufacturing sectors."
This is not the first time Siemens has contributed to the Southfield-based technological university. Siemens has awarded LTU two in-kind software grants since 2013. The Siemens PLM software, which includes NX, Teamcenter, Technomatrix, and Solid Edge, is commercially valued at more than $200 million.
LTU is recognizing the $75,000 donation from Siemens at two events: A March 13 event on the Lawrence Tech campus, and a formal presentation at the Manufacturing in America conference and exhibition at Ford Field in Detroit on March 14. The conference and exhibition is a forum designed to get students interested in careers in high-tech manufacturing.
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