Naval Support Activity Crane and Indiana University Renew Educational Partnership

Photo By Jeff Nagan | CDR James L. Smith, commanding officer, Naval Support Activity Crane, and Indiana University President Pamela Whitten renew a multi-year educational partnership between IU and the U.S. Navy. The partnership provides opportunities to use NSA Crane as a lab for applied research in science, information technology, engineering, math, sustainability, and other applied skills. (Official U.S. Navy photo by Jeff M. Nagan)  

NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY CRANE, IN, UNITED STATES

11.18.2021

Story by Jeff Nagan 

Naval Support Activity Crane

Naval Support Activity Crane and Indiana University renewed a multi-year educational partnership between the organizations that continues offering students, faculty and researchers the opportunity to use Naval Support Activity Crane as a lab for applied research in science, information technology, engineering, math, sustainability and other applied skills.

NSA Crane, as the host installation for major tenants including Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division and Crane Army Ammunition Activity, oversees facility infrastructure, base support operations, and environmental needs for Indiana’s largest military installation.

“Our continued six-year partnership with IU has brought forward a tremendous avenue for students and faculty to engage in vital research associated with important challenges and solutions within the Department of Defense and Crane while earning academic credit,” said NSA Crane Commanding Officer CDR James Smith. “NSA Crane is proud to be able to play a role in encouraging and enhancing study in various disciplines with Indiana University while also supporting Crane’s diverse missions.”

Since the partnership inception in 2015, projects have included base energy management, sustainability, environmental science, biology, economics, geology, and land conservation focused initiatives. One such example included the initial development and baseline of a land conservation webtool that is currently managed and accessible through the White River Military Coordination Alliance, an organization of surrounding communities and stakeholders supporting NSA Crane. This project originally started as an IU student research and mapping project and now provides for further education and information on voluntary incentive programs beneficial to neighboring landowners. Recent collaborations over the last year with IU’s Conservation Law Center staff and graduate students have brought additional federal, state, and local partnering initiatives for land conservation and environmental preservation work in both public and private lands surrounding the installation and areas throughout Southern Indiana.

“As the state’s largest research university and the state’s largest military installation, respectively, a partnership between Indiana University and NSA Crane is a beneficial pairing,” said IU President Pamela Whitten. “Crane personnel and IU students, faculty and staff collaborate on sustainability and conservation efforts, as well as ground-breaking research advances in areas critical to the national defense. We look forward to expanding this partnership in the coming years to improve the safety, security and wellbeing of citizens of Indiana and beyond.”

The outcomes of NSA Crane and IU partnerships have led to additional opportunities highlighting positive impacts on both higher education, military collaboration, and mutual benefits within the regional and local communities.

• Date Taken: 11.18.2021
• Date Posted: 11.18.2021 15:16
• Story ID: 409615
• Location: NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY CRANE, IN, US
• Hometown: BLOOMINGTON, IN, US