The New Mexico State University College of Engineering and Sandia National Laboratories will continue to focus on increased inter-institutional research and collaborative opportunities for the next five years. The two institutions formalized their partnership with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Friday, April 19. The memorandum will provide for expanded research interaction and collaboration, leveraging the technical expertise and laboratory facilities of both institutions and strengthening employment opportunities for NMSU students at Sandia upon graduation.
Specific areas of common research interest include: infrastructure safety, security and reliability; information security; microelectronics and microelectromechanical systems; remote sensing; aerospace technologies and robotics.
Sandia and the College of Engineering have a long-standing relationship, having signed a similar memorandum in 2006. Sandia currently funds two graduate student research projects in the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Sandia has supported collaborative research contracts totaling more than $3.3 million since 2010. NMSU alumni employed at Sandia number 568, and 17 of them currently serve in official advisory roles to NMSU.
"NMSU has an extensive pool of talent that includes both students and faculty," said Sandia Director of Energetic Components Anthony Medina, NMSU electrical engineering alumnus and current chair of the College of Engineering Dean's Advisory Council. "This agreement will strengthen our relationship and provide expanded research interactions between Sandia and NMSU researchers in areas that will benefit the nation."
"The collaborative relationship between Sandia National Laboratories and the College of Engineering has a history of strong outcomes, and continuing to build that relationship is a real win for both institutions," said Dean of Engineering Ricardo B. Jacquez. "We are pleased to be working with a world-renowned laboratory and hope that this partnership will contribute to the state's growing technology industry as well as provide future opportunities for graduating engineering students to stay in New Mexico."