Beginning this fall, Wayne State University will be the base of operations for the Center for Advanced Mobility, under a partnership with the Michigan Mobility Institute.
Monday’s announcement represents new resources for the university’s College of Engineering and features plans for new degrees and certificates in autonomous driving, connectivity, smart infrastructure, and electrification. Such degree programs will provide an overview of mobility fundamentals for engineers. A new Master program will also come with the new facility — a Master of Science in Robotics.
“By placing students and industry professionals at the center of this curriculum design, we know that these programs will meet their needs as they begin or transition into mobility careers,” Jessica Robinson, executive director of the Michigan Mobility Institute, said. “We conducted hours of additional interviews with startups and established industry professionals to map career paths and learning gaps. Employers are eager for mobility engineers who are comfortable with new approaches to problem solving and have hands on experience with the latest technology.”
The new program will move into the 45,000-square-foot Industry Innovation Center, which Wayne State University recently launched amid the Detroit Urban Solutions Innovation District. The location will include laboratory and demonstration space.
“This will be a leading global center for the future of mobility,” Farshad Fotouhi, dean of the Wayne State College of Engineering and computer science professor, said. “The Center for Advanced Mobility will be the epicenter for academic and startup activity in the mobility sector for students, researchers, and global corporate partners in Detroit.”