Gonzaga celebrates opening of materials research center, a key piece of the Spokane Aerospace Tech Hub

Spokane’s future in aerospace may be taking shape inside a brand new second-floor lab at Gonzaga University.

On Thursday, university leaders cut the ribbon on the Patrick Ferro Center for Materials Research, a space they say will help power the future, including next-generation aircraft .

The center located on campus at the Bollier Center for Integrated Science and Engineering is designed as a collaborative hub connecting faculty, students and industry partners across the Inland Northwest.

It recently received a $1 million federal grant and is part of broader regional efforts tied to the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act. Those efforts helped an Inland Northwest consortium of local governments, educational institutions and businesses, including Gonzaga University, earn designation as one of 31 federally recognized tech hubs focused on advanced materials manufacturing.

Sen. Maria Cantwell said in a provided statement that the center is an important development in Spokane’s proposed tech hub.

“Today’s ribbon cutting is another important milestone in Spokane’s efforts to become a global leader in advanced aerospace manufacturing,” she said. “Gonzaga researchers at this new Center will conduct foundational research into the materials that will help our region scale and speed the production of next generation fuel-efficient aircraft.”

The Spokane-area consortium for the tech hub was awarded $48 million by the U.S. Commerce Department in the final days of the Biden administration. But that funding was rescinded by the Trump administration last May. In response, local officials entered a new bidding process that was rejected late last year.

But the possibility of the Spokane Aerospace Tech Hub winning significant federal support was boosted again with the approval of federal budgets a few weeks that included up to $70 million that could be awarded to the Spokane Aerospace Tech Hub.

Former Gonzaga President Thayne M. McCulloh said demand in aerospace is driving the momentum.

“We wanted something that would allow the Spokane economy to continue to grow,” McCulloh said.

The next generation of aircraft, he said, “last longer, are safer, and burn less fossil fuels.”

From drones to commercial jets, materials science plays a central role in that future. The lab already is supporting faculty research, student projects and industry-sponsored work.

“As it turns out, the CMR is a tool of sorts,” said Harman Khare, the acting associate dean for research, who also serves as acting director of the Center for Materials Research. “It is a tool for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. It is a tool for immersive, experiential student learning and education. It is a tool for workforce development.”

The ceremony began with a land acknowledgment that recognized Gonzaga sits on ceded ancestral lands of the Spokane Tribe of Indians and ended with the reveal of the center’s name.

The center honors Pat Ferro, a mechanical engineering professor who joined Gonzaga in 2009 and became known for mentoring students in manufacturing and materials science. He died shortly after his retirement in 2024.

“There was a time not that long ago when you could hardly utter the word materials in a sentence around here without also mentioning the name Pat Ferro,” Khare said. “Pat was the one stop shop for all things materials. From technical knowledge, to identifying creative new research projects for students in the area of materials.”

Jennifer Shepherd, interim dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, said Ferro’s influence shaped the culture behind the new center.

“Pat left such an incredible Mark. He embodied our mission. He was a wonderful teacher, wonderful researcher, and he had such a positive outlook on life. I mean, everyone that he touched, it was just magic. And so we want to remember him always,” Shepherd said.

“I call Pat our materials champion, and he really was,” she added. “Every time we walk down the hall and look in the center for materials research, we’ll think about Pat and the impact that he had on this place.”

With the Patrick Ferro Center open, Gonzaga is helping shape Spokane’s future in advanced materials and aerospace.