MTSU ‘Out of the Blue’ features sneak peek at Applied Engineering Building [+VIDEO]

MTSU Applied Engineering Building Out of the Blue promo graphic

Ken Currie, Middle Tennessee State University Engineering Technology chair, and full-time lecturer Elyssa Ledoux discussed breaking ground this summer on the new, nearly 90,000-square-foot Applied Engineering Building and much more on the May edition of “Out of the Blue.”

The estimated $74.8 million building, which is scheduled to open in fall 2025, will be the new home to the renowned Mechatronics Engineering Program and others, providing students the room, equipment and education to prepare for ever-changing engineering careers.

The photo shows a preliminary layout of the center atrium for the Middle Tennessee State University Applied Engineering Building. The glass walls on the left offer views of both the student project development and Experimental Vehicles Program laboratories. Groundbreaking will be this summer and the expected opening will be fall 2025. (MTSU screenshot)

It will be located next to the Concrete and Construction Management Building on the east side of campus and replace the Voorhies Engineering Technology Building and space now utilized in the Davis Science and Midgett buildings.

You can watch their interview with Andrew Oppmann, “Out of the Blue” host and vice president for Marketing and Communications, below:

Dr. Ken Currie, MTSU Engineering Technology Department chair — Dr. Ken Currie

“It’s going to be fabulous,” Currie said, discussing the building before revealing news about the acquisition of valuable new and donated equipment valued at more than $2 million.

“We’re going to have an entire ground floor that’s going to have Makerspace and we’re going to have a new robotics and automation lab, and that leads into other big news that we’re going to have probably close to $1.2 million of new equipment that’s been gifted or bought that we’re getting right now, that’s going to go into the new building, so, we’re really excited about this,” Currie added.

Ledoux and Currie shared about the growth of mechatronics engineering, which features robotics and automation classes.

Elissa Ledoux, MTSU Engineering Technology and Mechatronics Engineering faculty — Elissa Ledoux

“It’s a really great experience for the students who are taking the robotics and automation classes to be able to get that hands-on, industrial-type experience in a safe and controlled learning environment for everyone,” Ledoux said, adding that capstone projects help create opportunities for students to grow as engineers “with skills that you’re going to take with you into the industry.”

You can watch “Out of the Blue” anytime online on MTSU’s YouTube channel and on MTSU’s True Blue TV, airing on Murfreesboro cable Channel 9 daily at 6 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Central and on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV, as well as on NewsChannel5+ at 3:30 p.m. Sundays.

“Out of the Blue” also is available as iTunes and Google Play podcasts and on other cable outlets in Middle Tennessee, so check local listings.

Enjoy previous editions of “Out of the Blue” here in our archives, too.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)