Nov 14, 2016 | By Benedict
Penn State University has signed a Master Research contract with defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin, signaling the continuation of research collaboration and an enhanced recruiting relationship. Lockheed Martin has previously supported Penn State students in various 3D printing projects.
Agreements between academic institutions and wealthy companies can be mutually beneficial: universities are put in a good position to secure research funding from the corporate partner, while participating companies able to keep an eye on promising graduates from the university who might prove worth recruiting. Penn State and Lockheed Martin, a Pennsylvania-based public university and an American defense and aerospace company, respectively, are two parties to have consistently taken advantage of the unique relationship between business and academia, having collaborated on numerous ventures, including several additive manufacturing projects, as recently as spring 2016.
According to a press release put out on Friday, the partnership between Penn State and Lockheed Martin is set to continue long in to the future, as the pair recently put pen to paper on a Master Research Contract. According to the two parties, the new agreement will signal the initiation of further research collaborations, an enhanced recruiting relationship, and an increased engagement from Lockheed Martin in Penn State programs. “Advancing university-industry partnerships such as this one with Lockheed exemplifies Penn State's renewed emphasis on economic development and job creation, and adds to our growing reputation as the go-to industry-friendly university,” commented Neil Sharkey, vice president for research at Penn State.
While there are few details yet about the kind of projects on which Penn State and Lockheed Martin will collaborate, the defense company has historically taken part in several Penn State research programs, including those in the area of 3D printing, or additive manufacturing. Earlier this year, Lockheed Martin asked students in Penn State’s Introduction to Design Engineering class to use 3D printing to solve new problems in aerospace, defense, and other areas of interest for Lockheed Martin. During this project, students used additive manufacturing to create, amongst other things, 3D printed heat exchangers, shock absorbers, wire connectors, and USB hub mounting brackets.
The research agreement between Penn State and Lockheed Martin reportedly includes a framework that will “guide future research projects focused in areas including computer science, cybersecurity, supply chain and aerospace engineering.” Students will have access to high-profile talent recruitment opportunities, and Lockheed Martin employees will get the chance to take part in Penn State’s online master’s programs for electrical engineering and engineering leadership and management.
“As our technological demands increase, so do our needs for world-class talent,” said Lockheed Martin Vice President of Engineering & Technology Dan Heller. “This agreement is an ideal opportunity for Penn State students to work alongside Lockheed Martin engineers and scientists on the challenges we face today and those we anticipate will emerge in the future.”
Earlier this year, Lockheed Martin reported that it was using metal 3D printing technology to build satellites up to 40 percent faster. The company has also used 3D printed parts in its Trident missiles.
Posted in 3D Printing Technology
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