Merrimack College Receives Infusion of RFID Equipment for New Lab

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 10/08/08

Merrimack College has received a donation of $60,000 in radio frequency ID equipment from Tagsys to establish an RFID and automatic identification technology laboratory as part of its Mendel Center for Science, Engineering, and Technology. The college includes coursework on RFID as a core requirement for its electrical engineering undergraduate degree.

"Merrimack anticipates continued widespread adoption of RFID in item-level tracking, and we are extremely grateful to Tagsys for their generous donation," said Ronald Champagne, president of the college. "Merrimack students now have the opportunity to learn actively on the latest RFID technology that will provide them with superior hands-on experience and unmatched preparation for their professional lives. This in turn will allow us to deliver highly-qualified RFID candidates to the field."

The vendor donated a combination of high frequency and ultra high frequency tags, readers, antennas, and application stations to Merrimack's RFID/Auto ID lab. Tagsys also donated RFID "demonstration stations" to help students learn how RFID is used to track items in manufacturing and supply chain applications in industries such as: libraries, textile services, apparel retail, luxury goods, and pharmaceutical/healthcare.

"As we anticipate increased demand for RFID technology in all industries, it's imperative that we have qualified RFID professionals to support this growth," said Bill Stuek, Tagsys CEO. "This is a mutually beneficial opportunity for both Tagsys and Merrimack by helping prepare the next generation of future RFID professionals."

Merrimack College, located in North Andover, MA, has 2,000 students. Later in October, the college will host a day-long symposium on RFID from technology, higher education, and business perspectives.