navajo nation to see construction of materials testing and metrology center

A significant step forward has been logged in a long-planned effort to build a facility on the campus of the Navajo Technical University that will advance the school’s energy education program.

The federal Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration has announced that it is awarding a $1 million grant for the construction of what is being called the Metrology and Materials Center.

“Through this project, Navajo Technical University will help the region diversify and rebound by providing opportunities for local workers,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement announcing the grant.

New Mexico Representative Ben Ray Lujan, also in a statement, noted that “It’s important that the Navajo people have high-tech tools within their communities to train the next generation of workers.”

The project has additionally received a $1.5 million matching fund coming out of the Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development.

As envisioned, the center will include course offerings in advanced manufacturing, robotics, and 3D metal printing.

It is thought that the center will additionally attract upwards of $15 million in eventual private investment.
Located in Crownpoint, New Mexico, Navajo Technical University was founded in 1979 and is the largest tribal college in the country.

The school offers a wide variety of degree programs in construction, automotive technology, and  environmental science, among other areas.

By Garry Boulard

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