Minnesota State College Southeast to introduce degree in bicycle design and fabrication

In fall 2019 Minnesota State College Southeast's campus in Red Wing, located 60 miles southeast of the Twin Cities, will introduce Bicycle Design & Fabrication, a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree program. Besides preparing students to enter the bike industry, the coursework was designed to equip them with the engineering skills to work in the region's high-tech manufacturing economy.

Major manufacturers in the college's area include Red Wing Shoes, Valley Craft Metal Fabrication, Gemini Manufacturing, and 3-D printing company Protolabs.

The program comprises welding and machining, metallurgy, working with composites, mechanical design, CAD drafting, rapid prototyping, and thermodynamics. The curriculum is being designed in collaboration with an advisory committee composed of representatives from local industry companies including Trek, QBP, Park Tool, and Hed Cycling. Trek and retail chain Erik’s Bike Shop also have helped recruit faculty for the program through social media.

Industry companies interested in participating in the program can contact Travis Thul, dean of trade and technology, at tthul@southeastmn.edu or 507-453-2738. For more information about the program and to apply, go to southeastmn.edu/bike.