OSU's New Degree Could Bring Billions to the State

[Dustin]

OSU Set To Boost Aerospace Program With Unique Degree

By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

STILLWATER, Oklahoma -- Oklahoma State University expects a new degree option to push the entire state to the forefront of the aerospace industry.

OSU and the A&M Board of Regents have approved the world's first unmanned aerial systems graduate degree program.

"Unmanned aerial systems is the fastest growing sector of aerospace engineering," said Dr. Larry Hoberock.

The sector has billions of dollars in potential. Hoberock said that's because while unmanned aerial systems are already being used in the military, the technology will soon lead to other consumers. For instance, the technology could be beneficial to agriculture, police, security and border control.

The degree option is expected to be approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in November. If so, the degree option will be available in the upcoming Spring semester.

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X16bukebpuQ

[SkyWestOKC]

Good news, this should definitely help keep the state up-to-date and slightly ahead of the curve in the aerospace industry.

[mburlison]

This could be fun "for today's lesson, the student will guide the unmanned craft to these coordinates in Norman and drop the bucket of Orange paint"
Seriously, though, this is great !

[Spartan]

The problem is I fail to see where an OSU program will make many waves in the aerospace industry, considering OSU is primarily an ag research school. I also have difficulties seeing good things at OSU benefiting OKC all that much..great for Oklahoma though if OSU is indeed onto something.

If anything it could establish Stillwater or Enid as another viable competitor for OKC in attracting aerospace jobs. Granted the first step should always be to get companies interested in Oklahoma as a whole, and then try and pin them down to your town after that job is done.

Does OSU even get jets in the pregame routine like OU has? I've only been to a Bedlam game there pre-Boone Pickens Stadium and I was surprised at how there wasn't a flyover.

[onthestrip]

Spartan, your bias against OSU and Stillwater gets old. OSU is quite more than an ag school, evidenced by its strong aviation school and this new degree. You wonder how this will benefit OKC? Does OKC not have a strong aviation industry? Does that industry not need a local source for a specialized educated employees? I would say this a good thing for OKC.

And what the hell do pregame flyovers have to do with the college of aviation?

[OKCisOK4me]

"an ag research school"?!? WTF? Dude. Get a life. You're dropping on my scale of good posters. Can't wait til next week when you say something else stupid... That's like me saying that OU is just a mother nature research school even though we all very well know that they've also got major schools of medicine and law. OSU also has major schools of business, architecture and engineering.

Back on subject, I think this is great news for Stillwater. I can only imagine there will be plenty more students coming from across the nation and world to make this their career springboard. Very technical. Thanks Boone! I can only imagine that the academic donation he gave had a little to do with bringing in this new option.

[jn1780]

So if i'm reading the article right, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is a new focus for an aerospace masters or doctorate. Its not a new undergraduate program is it?

[mburlison]

Yes, they've certainly had flyovers (real jets)... good grief. "primarily ag research school" wrong. You might visit sometime, they even have paved roads.

[Bunty]

Yes, they've certainly had flyovers (real jets)... good grief. "primarily ag research school" wrong. You might visit sometime, they even have paved roads.

I guess Spartan likes the massive arch in the new architectural building at OU a heck of a lot better than what little OSU did to add on to and remodel their building for architecture. Oh, well, Bruce Goff left a lasting legacy at OU and Norman.

[Goodengroup]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnF-G_syWFc

Have you seen the new Henry Bellmon Research Center at OSU? A VP at Pfizer dubbed it one of the top five research facilities in the world. Pretty cool. I've attached a video of the OSU/A&M Regents touring the facility and commenting on the potential the university now has to compete for major research projects.

[Spartan]

Guys, I'm an OU guy as everyone knows but I love OSU so Go Pokes, I have also been known to be an OSU sympathizer. I've also been extremely critical of OU (particularly OU Arch) as a lot of folks know.. I wish OSU would show more interest in expanding research and bringing in more research, or at least show as much initiative as OU has with the awesome new Partners Place research campus. OSU has nothing like that, although that Bellmon Research Center does look awesome. That's one facility, whereas OU has added 5-6 buildings.

The thing I am being critical of is the premise that, well we've added this degree program for a small number of students, now it will surely bring epic economic development to Oklahoma..

[Dustin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnF-G_syWFc

Have you seen the new Henry Bellmon Research Center at OSU? A VP at Pfizer dubbed it one of the top five research facilities in the world. Pretty cool. I've attached a video of the OSU/A&M Regents touring the facility and commenting on the potential the university now has to compete for major research projects.

Very cool! Thanks for sharing! Definitely a gem!

[NickFiggins]

Not so sure about billions from one program, OU claims it has an annual economic impact of $1.5billion and thats from a politico like Boren who is always so modest. Its nice but will mean millions, not billions. While OSU has made some nice moves, the money from T Boone has primarily gone in the athletics, OU has spent a lot on athletics though the research campus with private partnerships is way ahead of OSU, but then again OU grants far more research degrees than OSU so it would be expected. Another thing OU has going for it is Norman, attracting top notch researchers to Stillwater is hard (i.e. doesn't even have a Target, airport is an hour away).

[bluedogok]

I doubt the "billions" as well but I think it will be a very good thing for OSU if the program gets traction. As far as location Stillwater is as good as any, in fact SpaceX has a test facility in the middle of nowhere near McGregor, Texas between Waco and Gatesville/Fort Hood. They have five engineering and some other technical positions open at that facility right now. There is a guy on the Texas motorcycle site that I am on who works there who relocated from the LA headquarters, he seems to love it there.

[Bunty]

Not so sure about billions from one program, OU claims it has an annual economic impact of $1.5billion and thats from a politico like Boren who is always so modest. Its nice but will mean millions, not billions. While OSU has made some nice moves, the money from T Boone has primarily gone in the athletics, OU has spent a lot on athletics though the research campus with private partnerships is way ahead of OSU, but then again OU grants far more research degrees than OSU so it would be expected. Another thing OU has going for it is Norman, attracting top notch researchers to Stillwater is hard (i.e. doesn't even have a Target, airport is an hour away).

If I were a top notch researcher, I would be more attracted that Stillwater is only an hour's drive from the top two metro areas in the state, rather than it having a Target, or not. Maybe Pickens ought to be directing his millions toward making Stillwater a better place for OSU students to live while doing something to encourage high tech industry to move to town and hire OSU graduates. Surely not all them want to leave Stillwater or Oklahoma after graduating. Currently, helping to do that in Stillwater is the Oklahoma Technology and Research Park, but probably that isn't doing enough.

To help Stillwater, one thing Pickens could do is donate the $60,000,000 or so needed to extend the end of the Cimmaron Turnpike spur at N. 177 southwest to highway 51 a few miles west of Stillwater. It could be called the T. Boone Pickens Expressway and relieve some of the traffic congestion. ha, ha.

[semisimple]

Not so sure about billions from one program, OU claims it has an annual economic impact of $1.5billion and thats from a politico like Boren who is always so modest. Its nice but will mean millions, not billions. While OSU has made some nice moves, the money from T Boone has primarily gone in the athletics, OU has spent a lot on athletics though the research campus with private partnerships is way ahead of OSU, but then again OU grants far more research degrees than OSU so it would be expected. Another thing OU has going for it is Norman, attracting top notch researchers to Stillwater is hard (i.e. doesn't even have a Target, airport is an hour away).

I agree that this new program, however innovative, will not have even close to a billion-dollar impact on the Oklahoma economy. At least not anytime in the foreseeable future.

However, you are incorrect that OU grants far more "research degrees" than OSU. In fact, in the last several years, OSU has awarded more PhDs than OU (Norman) and for several years OSU awarded more PhDs than both OU and OU HSC, combined.

Both schools have very similar research impact with about $150 million in total expenditures last year (excluding OU HSC, which had about $130 mil on its own). In STEM fields, OU and OSU are comparable in academic reputation, faculty quality, and research impact, and attracting top notch researchers and faculty is hard for both universities.

I wholeheartedly agree that Norman offers a better quality of life than Stillwater, but the location of the nearest Target or Bed Bath and Beyond is not even close to being on the radar of a prospective, top notch student or scientist. By far the most important factor in attracting scientific talent is the faculty at the school. New facilities and unique programs help, but are generally secondary considerations.

[onthestrip]

But Spartan, I thought you said OSU only deals with farmin'?

http://newsok.com/osu-awarded-44.1m-...dline_business

[euphjay]

Oklahoma State University
"OSU received a record $136.3 million in grants and contracts during fiscal year 2010. The Stillwater campus received $106.4 million, while the branch campuses took in $34.9 million. The system-wide total is up 10 percent from last year."

University of Oklahoma
"Since 1994, research and sponsored programs expenditures at OU have more than doubled, and OU continues to set new records for funding for externally sponsored research. OU ended FY 2010 with total expenditures of more than $261 million. The OU Health Sciences Center in FY 2010 continued its impressive rate of research growth by achieving more than $118 million in federal, state, corporate and nonprofit or foundation grants and contracts. Funding from the National Institutes of Health – considered to be the gold standard for research – was almost $52 million."

[euphjay]

2008 - 2009 Degree Completions

Bachelors Masters Doctoral
OU (Norman campus) 3862 1645 360
OSU (Stillwater campus) 3833 992 250

OU (Health Science Center) 585 399 351
OSU (Ctr for Health Sciences) 0 11 84

National Center for Education Statistics

[bombermwc]

Before you go bashing Boone, remember he's given EQUALLY to athletics and academics. He actually started as an academic donor and has been giving that money for years. It's just been recently that he's become known because it was athletic contribution.

Crap, should we think the Gaylords only give money to OU athletics because their name is on Own Field? No....look right down the road and see the journalism building.

[OUGrad05]

This is fantastic news and should shine more positive light on our state and public universities....too bad OU didn't come up with this

But OSU has typically been the better school in the aerospace arena.