New ACRC, Parker Hannifin lab opens in MEL

On Monday, August 18, representatives from Parker Hannifin cut the ribbons in front of a brand new laboratory in the Mechanical Engineering Lab.

The lab, sponsored by Parker Hannifin, will be part of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center led by MechSE professors Pega Hrnjak and Tony Jacobi. Placid Ferreira, MechSE department head, and Martin Wong, associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering, were both also present for the event.

"Many of us enjoy solving challenging mathematical and scientific problems," Wong said in a short speech to the crowd. "But in order for our work to truly have an impact, we must constantly engage with industry. This new Parker Hannifin lab is a wonderful opportunity for us to work closely with industry. Let me assure you that you will have a great return on your investment; our College of Engineering and our mechanical engineering program are rated among the best in the world. You’ll be working with very bright engineering students and side-by-side with world-class mechanical engineering professors. May this lab turn into a true research arm of your company."

Representatives from Parker Hannifin also gave short speeches, praising the students for all that they have done and all that they have yet to do.

"I’d like to thank Pega and the staff for making this a reality," said Roger Palmer, the vice president for innovation and technology of Parker Instrumentation Group.

Martin C. Maxwell, Parker’s corporate chief technology officer, added in his short speech, "This is truly a new beginning for our company. Parker is in transition, the company is evolving; we’re seeing more labs like this one as a necessary piece of that evolution. This is where we create the future."

Students in the ACRC research group applauded as the ribbons were cut, and several of them presented research posters to the Parker Hannifin group inside the lab to inform them of how the new lab will be used.

"The Parker Hannifin HVAC&R Research Laboratory was opened on Monday, August 18, 2014 by company top executives and representatives for College of Engineering and Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering," Hrnjak said. "It is integrated in the mission of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center as Tony Jacobi and I see it, with focus on scientific issues in Parker’s sphere of technologies. We have two new exciting projects, each with a graduate student already started."

Ferreira also gave a short statement at the end of the tour of the new lab.

"I want to thank Parker Hannifin for their commitment to the ACRC, the college, and the department," Ferreira said. "We deeply appreciate it, and we hope that this relationship grows."