Dr. Roger A. LaBoube has been named director of the Student Design and Experiential Learning Center at Missouri University of Science and Technology, effective Dec. 1.

The design center was established in 2000 in order to better support the various multi-disciplinary student design teams on campus. The center houses ten teams, including Advanced Aero Vehicle, Baja, Concrete Canoe, Engineers Without Borders, Formula Car, Human-Powered Vehicle, Robotics, Solar Car, Solar House, and Steel Bridge.

LaBoube is a Curators’ Teaching Professor emeritus of civil engineering at S&T. His goals for the center include increasing student participation in competition teams and experiential learning activities, strengthening the center’s corporate funding support, encouraging more faculty participation as team advisors, and ensuring that student team members learn, succeed and have fun.

LaBoube also serves as director of Wei-Wen Yu Center for Cold-Formed Steel Structures at S&T. He was the faculty advisor to S&T’s Steel Bridge Team from 1991 until 2010. He has received numerous faculty and teaching awards. He earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Missouri S&T (previously the University of Missouri-Rolla).

“Dr. LaBoube brings a broad scope of rich experiences in engaging students in experiential learning,” says Dr. Harvest Collier, vice provost for undergraduate studies at Missouri S&T. “Both students and the campus community will benefit significantly as a result of his leadership of the center.”

In 2011, the Student Design and Experiential Learning Center will move into a renovated 21,000-square-foot complex called the Kummer Student Design Center.