7 months ago
ORONO, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - Students who go to the University of Maine now have a new minor to choose from.
Beginning this fall, robotics as a minor will become a part of the engineering curriculum. As the robotics industry continues to grow, the University of Maine is now offering more than a dozen robotics classes. The Dean of Engineering is excited to see the University expand what the Department of Engineering already has to offer.
"We have several new courses that are offered as part of our robotics minor, and what this builds on is our solid foundation in engineering. Our students are already taking the basic courses in mechanics, electrical controls, and what we've done here is really brought several disciplines together, the expertise to really focus on robotics," Dean Humphrey said. Even though seniors won't be able to directly benefit from the new curriculum, they feel that it will help the UMaine engineering students of the future when it comes time to find a job after graduating. Senior Mike Bernier is currently trying to find a robotics engineering job, but is having some trouble. "I'm finding I need a lot more experience with robotics than what I have and just a mechanical engineering degree. Having the opportunity to get a minor in that kind of field will be very beneficial to a lot of students now," Bernier said. Professor Shahinpoor said he is hopeful that this new addition to the curriculum will attract more students who are interested in the growing field of biomechanical engineering. "There's a lot of interest and excitement about robotics. Of course with the advent or robotic surgery, which is getting to be a giant field in medicine, there's a lot of interest among students to come to UMaine."
