The University of Guam School of Engineering has been awarded a $275,081 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation Program to acquire a state-of-the-art structural testing machine.

The grant will fund the purchase of a 250-kilonewton (kN) capacity Universal Testing Machine, a high-performance instrument designed to test the strength and behavior of structural and construction materials such as concrete, steel, timber, and composite systems.

“We’ve never had the capacity for this kind of testing on island. This new equipment opens the door to deeper research and better preparation for our engineering students,” said Dr. Ernesto Guades, assistant professor of civil engineering and principal investigator of the project. “Students, researchers, and industry partners will be able to conduct full-scale material and structural testing locally — building the capacity we need to support infrastructure innovation and resilience across our islands.”

The UTM will be integrated into undergraduate engineering courses and utilized for interdisciplinary research, teacher training workshops, summer STEM camps, and industry collaborations. 

It will also serve as a platform for outreach activities that engage K–12 students and underrepresented populations in STEM.

With its capacity to perform test-to-failure experiments on both small and large-scale materials, the new equipment will serve researchers across disciplines, including structural and mechanical engineering, materials science, and additive manufacturing.