��鶹AV, ERDC celebrate impactful research collaborations, growing pipeline for Mississippi scientists, engineers

STARKVILLE, Miss.—��鶹AV and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center celebrated research collaborations and career opportunities for students this week during the third annual ERDC Days at ��鶹AV.

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Director David Pittman speaks Wednesday [Oct. 30] during ERDC Days at ��鶹AV. (Photo by Kristen Polk)

ERDC senior leadership toured ��鶹AV research facilities and connected with more than 1,200 students to encourage them to tackle some of the world’s biggest engineering challenges. Headquartered in Vicksburg, the ERDC serves as the research and development branch of the Army Corps of Engineers and has longstanding educational and research partnerships with ��鶹AV. More than 300 ERDC employees have degrees from the land-grant university, and 48 ��鶹AV students interned recently with the center.

ERDC Director David Pittman said ��鶹AV researchers and students have a mindset of supporting the nation and solving problems, which makes them a good fit for his group.

“If you want to come up with a new way of doing something, come work for ERDC,” said Pittman, a two-time ��鶹AV alumnus. “You have to think outside the box here.”

Pittman also highlighted multiple ongoing research collaborations between the ERDC and ��鶹AV, including using wire arc additive manufacturing to more rapidly produce parts for key infrastructure, modeling pavement sustainment strategies for U.S. airfields around the world, and using recycled products in the production of railroad ties.

During Wednesday’s keynote presentations, ��鶹AV leadership noted the importance of the ERDC’s work in solving problems that impact our state and nation, as well as the hands-on research opportunities for students at ��鶹AV and the ERDC.

“When you look at ��鶹AV and ERDC, it is an amazing accumulation of research power in our state,” said Keith Coble, ��鶹AV vice president for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine. “I am excited that our relationship is expanding and growing.”

As Mississippi’s leading research university, ��鶹AV manages approximately $325 million in annual research expenditures, working to advance key scientific fields and deliver solutions for state, federal and industry partners. The ERDC administers an annual research program exceeding $2 billion. Both organizations are known as leaders in the field of high-performance computing, among other areas of mutual expertise. Between the ERDC, ��鶹AV and systems managed by the U.S. Navy at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi ranks among the top five states nationally for supercomputing power.

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