Joining Traci for today's podcast is Dr. Shuvra Das, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Detroit Mercy. Traci and Dr. Das address the school’s contribution to urban development for innovation and partnership as an academic institution in an urban city. The discussion highlights urban and industrial revitalization as it relates to Detroit and its own economy especially within the U.S. automotive industries. As part of the conversation, the academic gap between higher education was acknowledged and discussions ensued for consideration to resolve the issues. The podcast focused on skill development in the industry and the comparisons that are made to the educational focus on exams which detracts from skill-based learning because memorization is more the focus.