
Clemson University Forms New School As Globe Switches To Electric Vehicles
(Deep Orange 11 was recently featured at the Consumer Electronics Show and is an example of the innovative programs in the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering. Photo from Clemson University.)
The South’s fast rise as a leader in the building of
electric vehicles and the batteries to power them is helping drive Clemson
University’s decision to form a new school that brings together its mechanical
and automotive engineers.
Clemson officials say the new School of Mechanical and
Automotive Engineering puts the departments of mechanical engineering and
automotive engineering under one umbrella, better positioning Clemson for
innovation and education in a number of areas, including mobility, energy and
advanced manufacturing, all cornerstones of the South Carolina economy.
The founding director of the new school is Zoran
Filipi. He was chair of the Department
of Automotive Engineering for nearly seven years before vacating his
seat to become founding director of the Virtual Prototyping of Ground Systems
(VIPR-GS) Center, a position he still holds.
Clemson officials said Filipi will be the top administrator
in a strategically important school, with most mechanical engineers located
primarily on the main campus in Clemson and most automotive engineers at the
Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in
Greenville.
The school, first approved by the Board of Trustees in
October 2021, is home to 66 faculty members and has the largest enrollment in
the College of Engineering,
Computing and Applied Sciences, with about 780 undergraduates and 400
graduate students.
Clemson University President Jim Clements said
mechanical and automotive engineering at Clemson are entering a new era.
“The School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering will continue to position
Clemson University as a national leader in academics and research as well as
strengthen key industry partnerships,” Clements said. “The workforce of the
future is rapidly