NASA Forms Partnership to Bring Carnegie Mellon University to Silicon Valley

January 25, 2000
Michael Mewhinney
NASA Ames Research Center, Silicon Valley, CA
(Phone: 650/604-3937, 650/604-9000)
mmewhinney@mail.arc.nasa.gov

Don Hale, Vice President for University Relations
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
(Phone: 412/268-2900)
dh0c@andrew.cmu.edu

RELEASE: 00-06AR

NASA FORMS PARTNERSHIP TO BRING CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY TO SILICON VALLEY

NASA Ames Research Center Director Dr. Henry McDonald and Carnegie Mellon University President Jared L. Cohon today
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a partnership to explore bringing the world-class information
technology research and educational expertise of Carnegie Mellon to Silicon Valley.

Ames and Carnegie Mellon will work together to plan future information technology research and development and education
partnerships at Ames Research Center’s NASA Research Park, according to the terms of the agreement.

“Our goal is to develop a world-class, shared-use R&D campus by partnering with industry, academia and nonprofits in the
NASA Research Park,” McDonald said. “I am delighted to form this partnership with Carnegie Mellon University to conduct
joint research in information technologies and to develop new ideas to improve the region’s education infrastructure,” he added.

“Developing a presence in Silicon Valley is important to our future as a world-class research university,” Cohon said. “This
research partnership with Ames at the NASA Research Park is an outstanding opportunity for our university, the Pittsburgh
region and the state of Pennsylvania,” he said.

“A Carnegie Mellon research presence in computer science at Ames will greatly strengthen NASA’s capability to address its
long-term needs for smart robots and spacecraft, improved software development methods and large database analysis,” said
Dr. Jack Hansen, NASA Ames Deputy Director for Research. “Carnegie Mellon, as an onsite research collaborator, will help
enable the NASA Research Park to become a truly unique place for industry, academia and federal scientists and engineers to
share ideas in new ways,” he said.

“In addition to research collaborations with NASA and other NASA Research Park partners, Carnegie Mellon will consider
developing a graduate professional development program in information technology (IT) that could help alleviate the shortage of
skilled IT professionals experienced by both NASA and the private sector in Silicon Valley,” said Carnegie Mellon Vice Provost
for Research Duane A. Adams.

“We have planning MOUs with the Lockheed Martin Corporation, University of California at Santa Cruz, Stanford University,
San Jose State University and Foothill-DeAnza Community College for R&D collaborations and educational programs at the
NASA Research Park,” said Ames’ Chief of Development and Communication Michael Marlaire. “Carnegie Mellon’s reputation
in information technology brings greater potential for information technology companies in Silicon Valley to join us in the NASA
Research Park.”

Ames Research Center is NASA’s leader in information technology, astrobiology and aerospace operations systems.

Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh is one of the nation’s leading private research universities with nationally ranked
programs in computer science, engineering, business, science and the liberal and fine arts.