WESTMINSTER, CO and COLUMBUS, OH, May 26, 2023 – Trimble announced that the Ohio State University will establish two state-of-the-art Trimble Technology Labs for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). The multidisciplinary labs will enhance Ohio State’s teaching, research and outreach activities in food and agricultural engineering and construction management.
The Trimble Technology Labs will officially open during Autumn Semester 2023 and will provide students with access to Trimble technology solutions used by professionals in the agriculture, construction and geospatial industries. The labs will be based on Ohio State’s Columbus campus and Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster.
With the agriculture industry facing a variety of challenges including labor shortages and skill gaps, the labs will support training programs through Ohio State Extension to re-equip Ohio farmers and agricultural professionals with technologies that can improve productivity, increase efficiencies and drive sustainable farming practices. The labs will also include technologies to train students in civil engineering and construction management.
“CFAES is proud to be the home of the first Trimble technology labs focused on agriculture. The impact that this collaboration will have on our college and students is truly immeasurable,” said Cathann A. Kress, Ohio State vice president for Agricultural Administration and dean of CFAES. “It will allow us to be at the cutting edge of technology and innovation across our agriculture and environmental science disciplines.”
“The Trimble Technology Labs on the Columbus and Wooster campuses will become indispensable as we prepare students for the technology-driven careers of the future in agriculture, construction and natural resources. In addition, these labs will enhance the land-grant mission of Ohio State by placing state-of-the-art geospatial tools in the hands of researchers and Extension professionals to enhance the management of agriculture and natural resources across Ohio,” said Scott Shearer, professor and chair, Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
The Trimble Technology Labs at Ohio State will be the first to include Trimble agriculture solutions. The centerpiece of the labs are customized training workstations that simulate the use of Trimble agriculture hardware and software in the classroom, which include machine guidance and control, assisted steering as well as field leveling and water management systems. The workstations will enable students to interact with technology in the classroom before they begin working with equipment in the field.
“Ohio State is an educational leader in producing innovative research and top-level graduates in agriculture and construction,” said Darryl Matthews, senior vice president, Trimble. “In addition, we have many Ohio State alumni who work on teams across Trimble’s businesses, and we have a significant presence in Ohio with our operations. Supporting their important work by providing advanced technologies will help fuel their programs to develop professionals for the future.”
Trimble has a history of partnering with Ohio State through philanthropic support dating back to 1987. The software and hardware represent the largest in-kind philanthropic investment to support teaching, research and extension in the history of CFAES. In recognition of the donation to Ohio State, Trimble has been selected as a winner of the Corporate Partner of the Year Award from National Agricultural Alumni Development Association (NAADA), a national philanthropic association for agricultural education institutions, and will be formally recognized at the association’s conference in June.
In addition to the agriculture solutions, the lab includes a broad range of Trimble’s industry-leading geospatial and construction solutions such as the Trimble XR10 HoloLens hardhat, robotic total stations, 3D scanners and GNSS systems. Advanced software solutions include eCognition geospatial analysis software, RealWorks scanning software, TerraFlex Advanced GIS data collection, Trimble Access field software, Trimble Business Center Infrastructure Construction edition, Tekla Structures, Tekla Structural Designer, Trimble Connect collaboration software, Estimation MEP, FieldLink Office, Quadri, SysQue, and the company’s popular 3D modeling software, SketchUp Pro and SketchUp Studio.
Trimble is an industrial technology company transforming the way the world works by delivering solutions that enable their customers to thrive. Core technologies in positioning, modeling, connectivity and data analytics connect the digital and physical worlds to improve productivity, quality, safety, transparency, and sustainability. From purpose-built products to enterprise lifecycle solutions, Trimble is transforming industries such as agriculture, construction, geospatial, and transportation.
For more information about Trimble, visit www.trimble.com.