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The Official Website of the State of West Virginia

Observatory is growing its own talent with help from RCBI

3/23/2021

GREEN BANK, W.Va. — The National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory has teamed with the Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) at Marshall University to develop the skilled workforce it needs to maintain operations of its numerous radio telescopes and other instruments, observing the universe to unlock the mysteries of outer space.

The Observatory’s Mechanical Division manufactures large structural parts for the instruments and smaller high-precision receiver components from aluminum, brass, copper and steel.

Like many private machine shops, the Mechanical Division faces the prospect of losing highly trained machinists to retirement. Several of the division’s nine employees are approaching retirement age, said Tracy Samples, human resources manager for the Observatory.

“There’s virtually no better option in our area than to grow our own talent,” Samples said.

The entire article from the Huntington Herald-Dispatch is here https://www.herald-dispatch.com/business/observatory-is-growing-its-own-talent-with-help-from-rcbi/article_6593629f-e679-51dc-9ff1-4a916d95e605.html