Governor Discusses Partnership with University of Nevada System and Tesla
Governor Brian Sandoval kneels on one knee of the University of Nevada, Reno’s intramural fields signing a baseball for a young boy. It is possible the boy will attend a University of Nevada school and get a job with Tesla. He comments about a smiley face drawn on the ball. Gov. Sandoval laughs and says he likes it.
The university has changed greatly since Gov. Sandoval was attending in the 1980’s. The intramural fields were on a large plateau where Lawlor Events Center sits now.
UNR is ever expanding. There is currently the construction of a new fitness center and student achievement center. UNR isn’t the only university in Nevada vastly expanding. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is also expanding, working with Tesla on a research partnership.
It was announced in July of 2014 that Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, would be building its Gigafactory in Northern Nevada. A $1.3 billion tax incentive was created last year to attract the car company. Tesla’s 5-billion-dollar lithium ion battery plant is expected to be completed in 2017 according to the Reno Gazette Journal.
On October 7, this year, it was announced that Tesla is partnering with UNLV on a research partnership pursuing advanced topics in battery manufacturing. There will be two separate groups working on the project. One group of engineers will focus on water recycling and treatment, and the other group, made up of chemists will research the improvement of recycling metals from lithium ion batteries, according the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ website.
The partnership is expected to total one million dollars over the next five years. The project is expected to jolt Nevada’s economy and UNLV’s engineering program.
The Gigafactory is being built east of Reno, closer to the University of Nevada, Reno. The question is: Is a similar deal to the one with UNLV coming to UNR?
“It’s happening now. Tesla has a relationship with the University of Nevada,” stated Gov. Sandoval.
In February Tesla held a Summer Job and Internship Expo at the University of Nevada, Reno. The company filled 350 intern positions in the fields of mechanical, chemical and computer science engineering.
“That’s something that’s very important to me,” stated Gov. Sandoval, “that we have local students work at the Tesla factory and I’m sure there’ll be other opportunities for collaboration in research.”
