DAYTON, Ohio - Emerson Climate Technologies and its parent company, Emerson, are making a $1 million investment in the University of Dayton’s Product Innovation Laboratory in the School of Engineering. The company said this contribution is a continuation of its history of investing in higher education.

Emerson’s gift will provide opportunities for engineering and business students to work on new product development, potentially spurring the creation of new businesses. Students participating in the program are exposed to the various facets of the engineering field, including technical product issues, intellectual property potential, market evaluation, and business plan development.

“Engineering is a profoundly creative and innovative endeavor, yet little attention was paid to it in our curriculum,” said Joe Saliba, dean of the University of Dayton School of Engineering. “This investment enables us to create an integrated approach and work closely with our colleagues in business. It will affect the entire curriculum, truly transforming the way we teach.”

Emerson’s support of the University of Dayton spans more than a decade as the company has a long legacy of contributing to educational and community programs including the Minority Engineering Program, the Design and Manufacturing Clinic, and the recently completed Innovation Center. Emerson Climate Technologies also currently employs more than 70 University of Dayton graduates.

“We feel privileged to partner yet again with the University of Dayton in educating future engineers and business people in our community,” said Tom Bettcher, Emerson Climate Technologies president and CEO. “We have always been dedicated to investing in our community and giving young people the opportunity to explore engineering through hands-on innovation.”

“Emerson has been with us since the beginning,” Saliba said. “The Design Manufacturing Clinic would never have existed without them, so they’ve already made a huge difference. It is evident that innovation and creativity are critical to the future of our profession, so this investment will help us remain at the forefront of engineering education.”

For more information, visit www.emersonclimate.com.

Publication date: 01/01/2008