UTEP Opens $80M Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has inaugurated its $80 million Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center (AMAC), aimed at advancing research and innovation in technologies such as moon habitation, space robotics, and exotic-material 3D printing. The facility features 29 laboratories and is expected to foster collaboration with over 100 industry partners and 10 federal agencies, including major players like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. UTEP President Heather Wilson emphasized the center's role in contributing to national defense and regional economic growth, while local leaders praised it as a significant investment in the aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors. The AMAC will house UTEP's Aerospace Center and the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation, the latter known for its extensive collection of advanced 3D printing equipment. The initiative is seen as reinforcing El Paso's emerging leadership in aerospace innovation, with strong endorsements from UT System officials. Overall, the AMAC is poised to enhance UTEP's research capabilities and workforce development in cutting-edge technologies.