Research Centers and Laboratories
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 The College of Engineering has established several Centers of Excellence since 1990:
- Energy Conversion and Conservation Center (ECCC)
Located in the CERM building (Center for Energy Resource Management) of the Research and Technology Park on the lakefront at UNO, this center conducts basic research in the energy conversion area and works with the electric power industry on energy conservation and demand side management. The monitoring of energy consumption is also be an area of active research.
- Gulf Coast Region Maritime Technology Center (GCRMTC)
This Center was initiated in 1994 through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Navy, and is a Navy Center of Excellence in Advanced Marine Technology. With offices located in the CERM building (Center for Energy Resource Management) at UNO, this center aims to help the United States Maritime Industry become more internationally competitive through sponsored research by striving to improve design and production technologies for shipbuilding, reduce material and ownership costs, educate and train, and improve environmental engineering and management.
- Maritime and Environmental Resources and Information Center (MERIC)
Established by the GCRMTC and located in the College of Engineering, this center addresses concerns pertaining to the planning and implementation of environmental and health related methodologies.
- National Biodynamics Laboratory (NBDL)
This research facility is located on NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East. The College assumed ownership and operation in 1996 of this facility, formerly run by the US Navy since 1971. The NBDL's mission is to perform research aimed at preventing injury and enhancing performance in humans subjected to external motion forces by ships, airplanes, automobiles, offshore oil structures, etc. The research makes use of such devices as acceleration sleds, a ship-motion simulator, vibration equipment and desensitization devices, in conjunction with comprehensive data acquisition systems.
- National Center for Advanced Manufacturing-Louisiana Partnership (NCAM-LP)
NCAM was initiated in March of 1999 through a Memorandum of Understanding with the State of Louisiana , UNO, The UNO Research and Technology Foundation, Inc. and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration George C. Marshall Space Flight Center. NCAM is located on NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East. The mission of NCAM is to assure world class manufacturing capabilities enabling space transportation systems; create federal, state, university and industry manufacturing partnerships; effect a cultural change in manufacturing to an intelligent-collaborative environment; enhance educational development for manufacturing; and strengthen U.S. competitiveness in aerospace commercial markets. NCAM's current research technologies encompass advanced composite manufacturing, intelligent manufacturing, composite microcracking/permeability, damage tolerance and field repair, compatibility with cryogenics and non-destructive evaluation.
- Schlieder Urban Environmental Systems Center (SUESC)
This Center of Excellence was established to address the environmental needs of urban areas. The Center was joined in a cooperative agreement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the development of research, education, and outreach programs using an integrated multi-media waste management approach. Specifically, the environmental interactions between air, water, and land as they relate to preventive and corrective measures are employed to eliminate sources of pollution. The Center's mission includes scientific and technical research activities in support of the following areas: Municipal Solid Waste Management; Water Quality; and Urban Air Quality. Outreach activities designed to promote community involvement and education, and policy and technology transfer are key elements of the Center's programs.
Additional Research Centers and Labs
Composite Engineering Lab and ICCE
Information about the annual International Conference on Composites Engineering can be found at the above link.
Information and Systems Laboratory (ISL)
Part of the Department of Electrical Engineering, this is a lab for research of information and/or systems, such as processing of information, data, signal and image in various systems. The systems involved include control, communication, computer, and power systems and networks. Typical examples of applications are target tracking, data fusion, signal detection, machine learning and pattern recognition.
Marine Engineering Lab/ Reliability, Operation and Maintenance Division of the GCRMTC
A world-wide information network, called RAM/SHIPNET is a unique machinery history tracking system consisting of layered Reliability, Availability and Maintainability (RAM) databases. Its objective is to provide a basis for improving safety, reliability and cost effectiveness of marine machinery on vessels.
Maritime Technology Center of Excellence
This center is located on the New Orleans Westbank in Avondale, adjacent to Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Avondale Operations, and houses the SBDC. It functions as a research and teaching laboratory for UNO's School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering by giving the students access to real world information systems and 3-D modeling facilities.
Pontchartrain Ecosystems Research and Education Project (PEREP)
Lake Pontchartrain experienced a phase of declining water quality and productivity for many years. This research project was established to formulate a comprehensive plan covering the wide spectrum of variables and processes influencing the environmental quality and productivity of the Pontchartrain Lake Basin and to develop a management model as a measure of Lake productivity.
School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Towing Tank
The primary laboratory facility for the UNO School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering was designed for teaching, research, and technical support for the marine industry. The above ground, 125-feet by 15-feet tank includes a wave maker, current maker and planar motion mechanism.
Simulation Based Design Center (SBDC)
This branch of GCRMTC focuses on integrating advanced information technologies and techniques to enhance ship design and engineering, specifically through the use of virtual reality technologies and the conception and use of virtual prototypes.
Urban Waste Management and Resource Center (UWMRC)
This center was established in 1990 by the Louisiana Board of Regents to address urban environmental issues such as storm water management, solid waste management, waste water collection and treatment, urban air quality and brownfields. |
