![]() A broad range of attendees representing academic institutions (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Michigan Technological University, University of North Carolina-School of the Arts, and University of Nevada Las Vegas) and important companies in the live entertainment industry (iWeiss, Texas Scenic Company, Adirondack Studios, McLaren Engineering, Creative Conners, Hudson Scenic, Shuler Shook, DLR Group, and Electronic Theatre Controls) brought great enthusiasm to the event. In response to a rapidly growing interest by students and industry in the theatre engineering concentration, Dionne and Pilotte hosted a “fly-in” event at O’Hare Airport in Chicago, in July 2018, to discuss trends and opportunities at the nexus of live entertainment and engineering. As of summer 2020, this engineering program holds the unique standing of being one of a kind in the nation. Originally fashioned as a self-designed plan of study across interdisciplinary topics in engineering and live entertainment, Pilotte and Dionne collaborated to create two pathways of the theatre engineering concentration within the ABET-accredited Multidisciplinary Engineering program. This work began in 2017, building on the work of previous faculty in engineering and theatre (including Emeritus Chemical Engineering Professor Phil Wankat, Professor of Theatre Rick Thomas, Professor of Theatre Joel Ebarb, and others). Theatre engineering as a concentration within the Multidisciplinary Engineering program began when faculty in engineering and theatre joined forces to make formal the interests of a growing number of students. The birth of the Fusion Studio’s begins well before this, however. Mary Pilotte, and Associate Professor of Practice and Production Manager in the Department of Theatre, Rich Dionne, are the founding Co-Directors. Director of Engineering Education Undergraduate Degree Programs and Associate Professor of Engineering Practice, Dr. The Fusion Studio’s leadership structure emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of the center, with co-directors from the College of Engineering and from the College of Liberal Arts. ![]() The Provost’s office at Purdue University officially approved the proposal for the Fusion Studio for Entertainment and Engineering in the spring semester of 2020, creating a new, interdisciplinary, cross-unit, university center. ![]()
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