Professor Lara Ducate and Professor Charles Pierce from USC visit the Faculty of Engineering.
As part of an existing cooperation with Prof Lara Ducate, Prof Charles Pierce (both from the University of South Carolina) visited the Faculty of Engineering at HTWK Leipzig. New perspectives for cooperation in teaching, research and intercultural exchange were discussed with Dean Prof Stephan Schönfelder.
The professional dialogue at professor level formed the core of the visit. The aim of the first meeting was to identify synergies in the engineering sciences and to put the long-standing collaboration with the University of South Carolina (USC) on a broader professional footing.
From mechanical and electrical engineering to civil engineering, both universities offer numerous points of contact for synergetic collaboration. A central concern of both sides is the establishment of a direct student exchange programme. This should enable prospective engineers not only to gain expertise in technical fields, but also to move confidently in an international working environment.
The relevance of increased collaboration became clear during a joint tour of the laboratory areas. Prof Pierce gained in-depth insights into additive manufacturing with a demonstration of current research approaches in 3D printing and in the construction mechanics test hall, where the testing capacities for mechanical load tests and materials research were presented.
Both sides agreed that the complex challenges of our time - from resource efficiency to resilient infrastructure - can be solved above all through increased international cooperation and the direct exchange of different perspectives. The visit marks the start of intensified cooperation between the professorships at both locations.
