About the Advanced Automation and Robotics Center

The AARC is the combined vision of those who are interested in ensuring that the Memphis region has a sufficiently talented workforce. While the long-term vision is for the AARC to be housed in a single facility, at present the training courses will be held on both the University of Memphis and Southwest Tennessee Community College Macon Cove campuses. 

Teaching Personnel

Christopher Rogers, Mechatronics Coordinator - Southwest Tennessee Community College

Mr. Rogers is the Program Coordinator for the Mechatronics program.  He has over 20 years of industry experience and he has been teaching at Southwest Tennessee Community College for 6 years.   He will be instructing the courses in robotic maintenance and robotic programing for the AARC on the campus of Southwest Tennessee Community College.

Kevin Berisso, Principle Investigator - University of Memphis

Dr. Berisso is an associate professor at the University of Memphis where he teaches robotics, automation, automatic identification classes, and is the graduate program coordinator. He has been teaching since 2003, was a software project engineer, worked as a manufacturing engineer for Delphi Automotive, and has been an independent consultant in the areas of automatic identification and automation since 2012. Dr. Berisso will be teaching the Yaskawa Basic Programming with Material Handling course for the AARC.