Oklahoma State University is getting a new home in Oklahoma City it will use to boost its engineering students’ research opportunities.
On Monday, university officials and Baker Hughes announced the latter is donating its Energy Innovation Center to the university, which is taking over its management and operations.
It's the latest change for a prominent research facility initially focused on oil and gas that's had to adapt as the industry it was created to support has significantly cut research and development efforts since the center's 2016 opening.
A release announcing the donation issued Monday stated the switchover is part of a collaboration to bring both industry and academic experts under one roof and provide OSU students “experiential” learning opportunities.
At the same time, Baker Hughes researchers will get support as they continue to investigate how to apply technological-driven solutions to improve the nation’s energy and industrial sectors, officials added.
Together, those researchers and the students will advance key technologies in the areas of aerospace, mechanical, electrical, chemical and petroleum engineering.
OSU will also host classes for its Master of Petroleum Engineering program at the center, providing those candidates with hands-on experience in state-of-the-art lab facilities.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity for Oklahoma State University to secure a world-class research and innovation center and establish a collaborative relationship with a leading technology company like Baker Hughes,” Burns Hargis, OSU’s president, stated as part of Monday’s release. “This collaboration … will enable OSU to graduate engineers with meaningful experience on significant real-world projects.”
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