Mines to open satellite campus in Guam focused on additive manufacturing

Colorado School of Mines will open its first satellite campus in 2026 in Guam as part of a major initiative to build additive materials and manufacturing capacity in the U.S. island territory.

Located on the grounds of the University of Guam, the Mines campus in Guam will be the first-ever satellite campus of a mainland U.S. university on island. Mines will confer a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a focus in additive manufacturing, allowing students in Guam and across the Pacific to complete a four-year mechanical engineering degree without leaving the island, a first in Guam’s history.

Supported by an educational partnership with the University of Guam, the Mines satellite campus is a key component of the Applied Science & Technology Research Organization of America (ASTRO America) Guam Additive Materials & Manufacturing Accelerator (GAMMA) initiative, backed by the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program office and BlueForge Alliance. 

"We're excited for this new partnership because of what it offers students, the universities and the U.S. military,” said Paul C. Johnson, president of Colorado School of Mines. “The students receive the opportunity to earn a Mines degree in Guam, and the University of Guam and Colorado School of Mines benefit from the investment in state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing facilities and closer ties to the U.S. military and supporting industries in the Pacific – both of which will benefit from the graduates, innovation and capabilities that grow out of this strategic partnership. Mines is a leader in additive manufacturing, and this partnership builds on that and extends the global reach and impact of that program."

ASTRO America, a nonprofit, non-partisan research institute and think tank focused on manufacturing technology and policy, announced the educational partnership this week. The mechanical engineering degree program is expected to serve both civilian and military-connected learners and expand Guam’s role as a regional hub for innovation, manufacturing and workforce development.

“This collaboration between a top-tier mainland university and a leading Guam institution brings a premier engineering program to the island while supporting a strategic workforce need for the U.S. Navy’s maritime industrial base and beyond,” said Neal Orringer, President of ASTRO America. “Colorado School of Mines is a recognized leader in mechanical and manufacturing engineering, and together with a crucial foundational component offered by the University of Guam, these colleges’ dual presence will provide the next generation with world-class instruction in technologies that are reshaping defense and industrial production worldwide.”

Through the educational initiative, the University of Guam will provide the first two years of engineering education, and Mines will provide the final two years of education and degree conferral on island.

Students in the program will have the opportunity to specialize in additive manufacturing through technical elective courses from the Mines Additive Manufacturing Interdisciplinary Graduate Program. Building on Mines’ reputation for hands-on, project-based learning and industry-relevant curriculum, the Guam program will prepare students and engineers to design, fabricate and test components where they are needed, right on island.

The educational initiative will be complemented by a strong research partnership with the Alliance for the Development of Additive Processing Technologies (ADAPT), Mines’ additive manufacturing research center and industry consortium. ADAPT is known for its collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach that bridges fundamental science with practical solutions to address real-world manufacturing challenges. 

“Collaboration with the University of Guam and the GAMMA Applications Center offers an exciting opportunity to expand the breadth and impact of our additive manufacturing research,” said Joy Gockel, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Executive Director of ADAPT at Mines. “Together, we can advance application-driven innovations that enhance supply chain resilience and accelerate the development of next-generation additive manufacturing technologies.”

Pending the Navy’s execution of a planned option, ASTRO America will lead a $12 million expansion to support curriculum rollout, laboratory infrastructure, equipment procurement, and student recruitment. These investments build on an existing $5 million effort already underway. As final arrangements are completed, academic planning is underway for the first cohort of students, with classes expected to begin in Fall 2026.