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NEWS
| March 23, 2004
UT System
UTA gains lab partner
Sandia National Laboratories and
3 UT System components in the DFW area will work together.
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| The Shorthorn: File Art |
| Research Scientist Nasir Basit
shows executive directors Jeff Moseley of the
Texas Department of Economic Development, left, and Wes
Jurey of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, center, a
mask that is used in photolithography, a process in making
silicon chips. The city of Arlington was pushing the research
potential of the Nanofab Center at UTA. |
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By Brad
Rollins
The Shorthorn Staff
DALLAS — UT System leaders ceremoniously signed an agreement
Friday with Sandia National Laboratories described as a foundation
for long-term partnerships between the federal research giant and
three Metroplex institutions.
Researchers from UTA, UT-Dallas and UT-Southwestern Medical Center
will collaborate with their colleagues at the nation’s second-largest
federal lab system in fields including nano-science, microsystems
and biotechnology. The partnership was announced during a half-day
of events at UT-Southwestern attended by a delegation of Sandia
scientists who were flown from Albuquerque, N.M.
“This sets a collaborative framework for bringing first-rate
people and minds together. This is all about human capital, how
to pool our resources on areas of interest we share,” UT System
Chancellor Mark Yudof said.
The U.S. Department of Energy owns the Sandia system, which focuses
on national security-related research including nuclear and anti-terrorism
projects. The labs’ annual budget was $2.3 billion in 2003.
Eight academic departments and research centers at this university
could have roles in the arrangement as outlined in a memorandum
of understanding among the system components and the lab system.
Specifically, students and faculty working in broad areas are identified
as likely partners on projects ranging from anti-terrorism technology
to the nation’s energy grid:
• Multiple unspecified projects related to nanoscale science,
engineering and technology through the university’s Institute
for Nanoscale Science and Engineering Research and Teaching.
• Chemical, thermal, radiation and biological sensors for
use in anti-terrorism systems. This includes potential roles for
the Advanced Controls and Sensors Center, the Center for Condensed
Matter Physics, the Converging Biotechnology Center and the Chemistry
and Biochemistry departments.
• Energy generation, storage and conversion systems with the
Center for Renewable Energy Science and Technology and the Energy
Systems Research Center.
The agreement — combined with nearly identical ones already
in effect with UT-Austin and UT-El Paso — makes the system
one of Sandia’s largest partners. The lab system has partners
at 28 universities nationwide.
“Certainly, the combined agreements with Texas [system] universities
is one of our largest, and I can tell you that our goal is to make
it much bigger,” said Paul Robinson, president of the Lockheed
Martin subsidiary that manages the system. Later, he added: “We’re
proud that we’ve come together, and I think: You ain’t
seen nothing yet.”
Ultimately, though, the depth of cooperation will be determined
as relationships between scientists here and those at Sandia develop.
“I think you could say this is in the formative stages, and
we’ll determine where this goes as things develop,”
Yudof said. “But sitting here today, I can’t tell you
that there’ll be this number of new faculty or this new building.
That type of work has to be done at the ground level.”
But while the partnerships borne from Friday’s agreement have
not yet taken shape, administrators say the university could benefit
from a higher profile in science and engineering.
“It certainly is a significant development mainly because
it expands our opportunities [and] puts us at the forefront of research.
It helps to solidify our leadership position in research in this
region and nationally,” said Ron Elsenbaumer, the university’s
vice president for research and information technology.”
The university has pursued a relationship with the lab since a preliminary
meeting with Sandia officials was held here Aug. 5. A university
delegation later traveled to Albuquerque, N.M., and a document outlining
possible areas of collaboration between the lab and the university
was drafted in the following weeks.
Sandia officials have previously held out the possibility that the
partnership could lead to a satellite laboratory similar to the
Advanced Materials Laboratory at the University of New Mexico. While
the newly-minted relationship calls for no construction, Robinson
did not rule out the possibility of joint facilities.
“The folks involved see enormous possibilities,” Robinson
said. “We’re looking at the feasibility of something
in the future and that’s a dream among some of our people.
Until then, we’ll be using each others’ laboratories.”
CORRECTION
This article should have identified Ron Elsenbaumer
as interim vice president for research. Suzanne Montague is interim
vice president for information technology. The roles were split
into two positions after Keith McDowell resigned in October to accept
a job at the University of Alabama.
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