Abstract Scope |
Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs) are NSF research centers with the goals of workforce training, industrially relevant research, and creating connections between universities, industry, and government organizations. Thus, I/ICRCs provide opportunities for students to be mentored by industry or national laboratory professionals and strengthen technical capabilities by relating basic research and industrial relevance. In addition to technical skill development, these centers provide many opportunities to strengthen student communication skills. For example, at Mines, the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center and the Center for Advanced Non-Ferrous Structural Alloys hold bi-annual center conferences and videoconferences in-between where students write update reports, executive summaries, and communicate their work through in-person and virtual technical talks or posters. These are golden opportunities for students to learn to communicate complex research to experts in industry. It also challenges them to tailor communication to various audiences and develops their soft skills via professional networking opportunities. |