Seagate Donation
The Department received a generous donation of equipment from the technology company, Seagate. Almost 200 pieces of equipment were given to the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
The Department wants to recognize the following individuals for their efforts and diligence in this process. Mark Dubé, Jim Fisher, and the team at Seagate were responsible for the planning process in the donation, identifying working equipment, and working alongside the department in this project. Professor Peter Seiler managed the initial arrangements with Seagate and also polled the other departments for interest. Kale Hedstrom organized and distributed the equipment to the departments. Eli Muno meticulously sorted, unpacked, and numbered each piece of equipment which effectively streamlined the process. These individuals made the donation process possible, and the Department offers them much gratitude and appreciation.
Seagate has a close partnership with the University of Minnesota and currently funds 12 research projects at the university. In the last four year, they also hired the most number of graduates from the University of Minnesota than any other university. With over one hundred UMN graduates hired at Seagate within the last 7 years and over four hundred current employees with a degree from the university, worldwide, from 2011 - 2014, the largest number of hires from any one institution was the University of Minnesota.
Seagate’s generosity will reach AEM students now and well into the future.
The donation will reach the Stratospheric Ballooning Team; Photos Courtesy of
Chris Cooper.
The Reach
In Aeromechanics Lab (AEM 4602), a signal analyzer, accelerometers, and amplifiers were placed and will be utilized well. As AEM’s main undergraduate lab class, between 70 and 80 students will be handling the equipment each year.
The small satellite lab received a new spectrum analyzer, oscilloscope, power supply and multimeter. The equipment will be used by and will help the roughly 20 AEM and 10 Physics students involved in the CubeSat project.
Seagate’s donation to the Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV) lab has an impact on both research and education. The high-speed oscilloscope, DMMs, power supplies, and waveform generator will be used to further leading research on navigation, guidance, and flight control systems. This will enable future commercial aircraft and small UAVs that are significantly safer and more fuel efficient. The equipment from Seagate will support education by bringing real-world aircraft development and flight testing experiences into undergraduate and graduate level courses. This directly impacts students in AEM 5333 - Design, Build, Model, Simulate, Test and Fly Small Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles. The equipment also impacts 20 undergraduate and 10 graduate research assistants working on research projects at any given time.
The equipment will also enhance Aerospace Engineering Research. The new high speed oscilloscopes will greatly improve the ability of researchers to measure vibration modes. Approximately 10 graduate students per year will be using these oscilloscopes. In addition the network analyzer will be used by graduate students doing GPS research.
NASA’s MN Space Grant Consortium (led by the AEM Department): Freshman Seminars and Stratospheric Ballooning Team is also affected by the donation. Between freshman seminar(s) (about 20 students each year) plus the ballooning team (another 15 students, with some overlap), this equipment will benefit about 30 students per year.
Many of our facilities and courses including Senior Design Lab (AEM 4333) are impacted by similar equpiment. AEM 4333 will use the equipment for testing done in the senior design course and would impact roughly 20 students per year.
The donation will reach a variety of labs and courses; Photos Courtesy of Chris Cooper.
The Department is truly grateful to Seagate’s generosity and thoughtfulness and is looking forward to the success and progress brought by students and faculty utilizing this equipment.
Learn more about Seagate on their website.
The donation will reach a variety of labs and courses; Photos Courtesy of Chris Cooper.