Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College announced Friday it will receive a $700,000 National Science Foundation award to strengthen applied research and hands-on student learning opportunities.
The cross-disciplinary project, “Enhancing Academic Experiences within Applied Research, AI Integration, and Workforce Readiness,” is led by KBOCC faculty Tim Raymond and Ruby Alhajjar from the Human Studies and Health Sciences departments.
Raymond said the NSF award provides the community college an incredible opportunity to expand what applied research can look like for students by bringing human studies and health sciences together.
“The initiative will open the door for students to gain hands-on experience through interdisciplinary collaboration,” Raymond said.
The KBOCC FAST Lab, established by Raymond, operates at the intersection of research, technology and workforce development. It offers students the opportunity to work with 3D printing, AI, prototyping and human-centered design.
Alhajjar said the NSF award marks an exciting milestone for KBOCC and the health sciences department.
“This award expands opportunities for students to engage in applied research,” Alhajjar said.
The Fabrication and Systems Technology Lab will serve as the hub of the program.
Those interested in learning more about the award can find details online.
