$40,000 award expands testing and research capabilities for next-gen mobility engineers
Kettering University has expanded the capabilities of its Intelligent Transportation Lab (ITL) thanks to a $40,000 grant from the Margaret Dunning Foundation. The funding supported upgrades to the lab’s equipment and space, ensuring students and faculty have access to advanced tools for real-world vehicle testing, research, and innovation.
The ITL, connected to Kettering’s Mechanical Engineering program, gives students hands-on experience with the technologies used in today’s evolving mobility industry. It supports work in vehicle dynamics, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), ride quality analysis, and subsystem validation.
Recent ITL enhancements include professional-grade equipment such as a multi-channel data acquisition system, advanced sensors, and Controller Area Network (CAN) interface hardware. The improvements will support collaborative research and student projects, including developing Kettering’s Formula SAE Electric race car and vibration testing for industry partners like Yokohama Tire.
“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Margaret Dunning Foundation for supporting the ITL,” said Dr. Jennifer Bastiaan, associate professor of Mechanical Engineering at Kettering University. “This gift has enabled us to transform an already high-impact lab into a next-level learning and research environment, training students in the skills that industry demands and innovation requires.”
The ITL is key to Kettering’s commitment to giving students early, hands-on opportunities to solve complex problems using today’s industry-standard technology. By integrating real data, real vehicles, and real testing scenarios into coursework and Co-op experiences, the lab equips students to lead in Michigan’s mobility sector and beyond.
About the Margaret Dunning Foundation
The Margaret Dunning Foundation was founded by Ms. Dunning in 1997. She was born in 1910 in Redford Township, Michigan, and moved with her mother to Plymouth in the 1920s. During her lifetime, Ms. Dunning was a successful businesswoman, philanthropist, and classic car enthusiast, often participating in the Woodward Dream Cruise in her 1930 Packard 740 Roadster. Ms. Dunning passed away in 2015 at the age of 104. Her estate provided additional funding for the Foundation, which continues to support her charitable interests and preserve her legacy. Learn more at www.margaretdunningfdn.org.
