The University of Louisiana at Lafayette says it is prepared to power Louisiana’s space future with the announcement that SpaceX will build a $100 billion rocket launching facility in coastal Vermilion Parish. University President Dr. Ramesh Kolluru says UL Lafayette is positioned to educate workforce.
“Mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, computer engineers, aeronautical engineers, data scientists and AI researchers, AI engineers; also, folks who are project managers,” Kolluru said.
SpaceX is expected to hire 3,000 permanent employees, and founder Elon Musk believes the number of SpaceX workers could grow to 10,000 at the Louisiana Starbase site. Kolluru says university researchers can also advance technologies that support space exploration.
“There is a research university, a top-tier Carnegie R1 university that’s willing and able to partner with and support SpaceX in their innovation needs, their research needs and also in their workforce development needs,” Kolluru noted.
Kolluru says he envisions the University serving as an anchor for an emerging space and innovation corridor connecting Lafayette and the Vermilion coast.
“By designing curricula, by designing programs, by designing internships and capstones and apprenticeship opportunities with SpaceX and other members of the supply chain that will also come to Louisiana to support SpaceX and its operations,” Kolluru explained.
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