New ASU course gives students hands-on experience in aerospace industry
Graduate entrepreneurship course provides opportunity to learn industry skills firsthand
Andrea Cherman (right, in black blazer), assistant teaching professor in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, will teach the TEM 598: Technology Innovation Lab course that is launching in fall 2024 in collaboration with Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. Courtesy photo
Practical experience is crucial for students aspiring to achieve career success and make meaningful societal contributions. Graduate students in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University who want to work in the aerospace industry have a new opportunity to gain this experience by being immersed in a hands-on learning environment where they can solve real industry problems.
The Polytechnic School, part of the Fulton Schools, will partner with Honeywell Aerospace Technologies in an incubator-style course led by Andrea Cherman, a Fulton Schools assistant teaching professor of technology entrepreneurship and management.
The TEM 598: Technology Innovation Lab course, which launches in the fall 2024 semester, helps graduate students from various disciplines bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, preparing them for future success in a rapidly evolving job market.
“This experience is important for Honeywell Aerospace Technologies as much as it is to the students,” Cherman says. “Employees and students will learn from each other and grow.”
Toinette Pérez-Treviño, an incubation leader for Honeywell Aerospace Technologies and a Fulton Schools Technological Entrepreneurship and Management Industry Advisory Board member, is excited for the opportunity to work with ASU students.
“Students come with a different set of skills that can benefit the employees,” Pérez-Treviño says. “Experts can become narrowly focused, and with this course, we find a nice balance and complement each other.”
The Polytechnic School has collaborated with industry partners in the past to create opportunities for students to gain hands-on training with the partners’ employees. The collaborations, including this new course, also help students develop an "intrapreneurial" mindset, teaching them to work within a company to promote innovation in product development and business models.
Beyond technical problem-solving, students develop business acumen by learning how to market their solutions and develop business plans while earning credits toward their degree.
Under Cherman’s guidance, Technology Innovation Lab class participants will engage with Honeywell Aerospace Technologies experts to tackle challenges that reflect the current trends and demands of the aerospace industry.
The curriculum is designed to be interdisciplinary, drawing students from programs such as aerospace, mechanical, human systems and electrical engineering, information technology, data science, robotics and automation, and technological entrepreneurship and management, among others, with the goal of fostering a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives. Through a series of workshops and direct collaboration with industry professionals, students will not only develop technical solutions but also learn to navigate the complexities of bringing these innovations to market.
“The typical kick-starter program spans 100 days, during which specialized teams from various disciplines work together to create a robust business plan, a technical strategy and a minimum viable offering for opportunities that hold significant multimillion-dollar potential, aligning closely with strategic technological requirements,” Pérez-Treviño says.
At the end of the semester, teams may be chosen to receive an extra 100 days with Honeywell Aerospace Technologies experts to further develop their solution and bring it to fruition. Pérez-Treviño says all parties involved are excited to see the solutions that emerge from the class.
Giulia Genna, a doctoral student studying innovation in global development in the ASU College of Global Futures, participated in another incubator-style course led by Cherman and recommends them to her peers.
“It provides an incredible opportunity to challenge the limitations we often put on ourselves while providing material resources to understand different approaches to innovation,” Genna says.
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