MARSILLAC GRANTED FUNDS FOR LAB IMPROVEMENTS FROM DOMINION

Sylvain Marsillac, an associate professor for the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology, received some good news recently. Marsillac and two of his colleagues from the department of electrical and computer engineering, Gon Namkoong and Shirshak Dhali, submitted a proposal to the Dominion Foundation. Now, they have learned that their proposal will be funded by one of the most prestigious grants offered by the Dominion Foundation, Dominion Higher Educational Partnership. It is through the Dominion Foundation that Dominion, the company, contributes more than $20 million annually to charities in the states where it operates or the locations where it has significant facilities or business interests. Grants are made in several categories, and the funds support a variety of programs, such as foodbanks, homeless shelters, educational grants, cultural outreach programs in the performing arts, and land and habitat preservation, to name a few. Grants from the Dominion Higher Educational Partnership program better align Dominion's work force needs with the company's support of higher education. Because the Dominion Foundation supports a wide range of charitable programs, most grants are in the $1,000 to $15,000 range. Old Dominion University was awarded $30,000 to upgrade ODU power laboratory hardware and to develop new lab experiments to provide the necessary skills for students in energy-related fields. The grants will be used to enhance equipment for three courses: Power System, Power Electronics and Electric Drives.