Kroehling Advanced Materials Foundry

Mission Statement (January 2022)

The mission of the Virginia Tech Foundry Institute for Research and Education (VT FIRE) is to create industry passion and to provide world class educational and research programs that train, equip, and motivate students to lead the metal casting industry.  Our students will learn best-practice scientific, environmental, and safety procedures, which will provide the experience necessary to meet the needs of the current and future foundry industry.

This will be achieved by:

• maintaining a state-of-the-art teaching and research facility that provides a strong hands-on foundry experience
• providing a curriculum with a focus on the basics plus meaningful safety and environmental training
• providing a facility that will permit personalized research and educational opportunities
• providing students with opportunities for industry contacts
• providing students with financial support
• integrating the metal casting curriculum into a strong MSE program maintaining faculty and staff with industry ties and/or experience