New product development center sees growth for the new school year

Monday, September 17, 2012

The New Product Development Center and Inventor's Assistance Service has expanded to employ a record 16 undergraduate student interns and six graduate student interns for the 2012-2013 school year.

NPDC interns work with OSU faculty and staff and Oklahoma manufacturers to help develop, market and improve the manufacturers' products. Many of the projects are referred to the NPDC by the Oklahoma ManufacturingAlliance applications engineers and manufacturing extension agents.

"The students are able to work with faculty, staff and manufacturers to develop comprehensive business analyses and assist companies and inventors in developing or improving products," NPDC/IAS Director Robert Taylor said. "Through this process, companies gain valuable information about their product and competitors, and the students gain the experience and contacts that will allow them to advance in their chosen field."

The NPDC student interns come from various academic majors including a variety of engineering disciplines, business and agricultural communications. NPDC interns work on a variety of projects for manufacturers that may include engineering, business analysis and communications.

"The New Product Development Center and Inventor's Assistance Service is a great place for students to apply the things they learn in the classroom to real-world situations," Taylor said.

The NPDC work experience interns gain is an invaluable part of their preparation for a career after graduation. Students combine many aspects of what they have learned in the classroom to complete a project.

"NPDC projects take advantage of each individual's comparative advantage to create team outcomes that are more create and effective than those created by individuals," said Daniel Tilley, NPDC associate director.

Through teamwork, students are able to be involved in the entire process of product development.

"At the NPDC, projects include the whole system, whereas in class we may only focus on a part of the system or how something applies to the system," said Karina Quintero, a senior computer engineering and electrical engineering double major. "At the NPDC the projects are expansive, and it's really neat to see the whole thing come together."

NPDC interns often work as team to complete projects, said aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering double major Tyler Shirk. This helps interns to develop strong communication, technical and group skills.

"Having a job is more than just the classroom knowledge aspect of things," Shirk said "It's about working with a variety of people. Here, for example, we have electrical engineers, industrial engineers and even marketing and communications professionals. That's why I recommend people who are interested in gaining experience apply to work at the NPDC."

The NPDC pairs Oklahoma's small manufacturers with Oklahoma State University faculty, staff and students to help commercialize the manufacturer's new product concepts. The NPDC focuses on working withmanufacturers to create new jobs and revenues. The NPDC receives support from the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Science Foundation. For more information about the NPDC visit www.npdc.okstate.edu.