Sterling Rope Company Inc., a Biddeford, ME-based manufacturer of life-safety rope, cord and hardware, unveiled a Design Clinic project through Smith College’s Picker Engineering Program.
Sterling will work with a team of students for the 2016/17 academic year to design, develop and test an apparatus to measure critical performance characteristics of certain rope.
“I’m thrilled I can work closely with my mother’s and my Alma Mater to facilitate the growth of women in design and engineering careers here at Sterling,” says Carolyn Brodsky, president of Sterling. “This is an exciting connection that allows us to take advantage of this great design clinic, while helping and getting help from the students in the program.”
The Design Clinic project will work closely with Sterling to develop a testing apparatus to evaluate and compare new performance characteristics of rope. Students will work as a team under faculty supervision from Smith as well as technical oversight from Sterling’s research and development department.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to connect senior engineering students with real-world projects such as this,” says Susannah Howe, Ph.D., Design Clinic director at Smith College.
“Sponsors like Sterling benefit from having increased staffing on existing, postponed or prospective design projects, in addition to connecting with talented and motivated women engineering students. The students benefit from hands-on experience on applied problems and interactions with engineers in the workforce,” she added.
