Unprecedented Academic Collaboration Formed to Address Critical Silicon Valley Education and Economic Needs

Michael Mewhinney

NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

Phone: 650/604-3937, 650/604-9000

mmewhinney@mail.arc.nasa.gov

Elizabeth Irwin

University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

Phone: 831/459-5226

emirwin@cats.ucsc.edu

Sylvia Hutchinson

San José State University, San José, CA

Phone: 408/924-1174

shutchin@sjsu.edu

Kurt Hueg

Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA

Phone: 650/949-7645

hueg@admin.fhda.edu

Terri O’Connor

De Anza College, Cupertino, CA

Phone: 408/864-8672

oconnor@admin.fhda.edu

RELEASE: 00-57AR

NOTE TO EDITORS & NEWS DIRECTORS: In addition to the Sept. 5 news
conference from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., news media are also invited to
attend an outdoor VIP luncheon in front of the NASA Ames Administration
Building, N-200, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. To get to Ames, take the
Moffett Field exit off Highway 101. At the Moffett Field main gate, turn
right into a small parking lot and enter the Visitor Badging Office to
obtain entry badges.

The University of California at Santa Cruz, San José State
University and the Foothill-De Anza Community College District are forming
the “Collaborative,” an innovative partnership to address Silicon Valley’s
critical education and workforce needs through joint research and education
programs to be located at the proposed NASA Research Park at Moffett Field.

Top officials from the three academic institutions and NASA will
discuss this unprecedented action during a news conference on Tuesday,
Sept. 5, at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA. The news
conference will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Center’s main
auditorium, Bldg. N-201. Participants will include Dr. M.R.C. Greenwood,
Chancellor of the University of California at Santa Cruz; Dr. Robert L.
Caret, President of San José State University; Dr. Leo Chavez, Chancellor
of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District; and NASA Ames Research
Center Director Dr. Henry McDonald. Former State Senator Becky Morgan will
serve as master of ceremonies.

“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 that the NASA Research Park provided the
impetus for a number of our academic planning partners to form this
unprecedented partnership for education programs that will be conducted
here,” he said.

“While Silicon Valley is recognized worldwide for its innovation, high
technology and as a catalyst for change, the area also faces a critical
shortage of teachers and engineers,” said Greenwood. “We wondered what
public higher education could accomplish if we focused our collective
energy and resources on a shared solution. By crossing traditional
boundaries, our collaboration with San José State and Foothill-De Anza will
leverage our collective strength, provide innovative programs and services
and produce results of value to Silicon Valley and the State of
California,” she said.

“The NASA-Collaborative provides us with a unique opportunity to serve the
needs of this region together,” said Caret. “Since each of our
organizations had signed separate planning agreements with NASA Ames for
joint efforts in the NASA Research Park, we decided that we could be a
stronger force if we worked collectively on the critical Silicon Valley
needs. The NASA Research Park will provide the optimal environment for
collaboration. Through these collaborative programs, we look forward to
building a world-class facility that will house teaching, research and
economic development programs for the Silicon Valley and the State of
California,” Caret said.

“By working together, the Collaborative hopes to leverage its collective
talent, resources and intellectual leadership to solve the valley’s
increasing demand for education and workforce development,” said Chavez.
“In terms of work-force preparation, higher education needs to go the extra
mile to meet the needs of our community, especially to prepare
underrepresented groups and minorities for jobs in the high-tech Silicon
Valley, ” he said.

“By collaborating with the best in higher education, other
partners of the NASA Research Park and NASA Ames’ extensive resources, the
Collaborative will offer Silicon Valley a visionary opportunity for
advancement,” said Bernadine Chuck Fong, President of Foothill College. “To
make a difference in the lives of Silicon Valley students historically
underrepresented in higher education, De Anza College is proud to partner
with NASA, UCSC, SJSU, Foothill and our local high schools to provide new
educational models to give our students the math, science and technology
skills they must have to be successful in our new economy,” said Martha
Kanter, President of De Anza College.

“This is not business as usual. Over the last several months, we
have crafted a shared vision, strengthened our relationships and are now
eager to roll up our sleeves and do the hard work for the benefit of the
region,” Greenwood said.

Founded in 1965, the University of California Santa Cruz is developing its
Silicon Valley Center, which is expected to be located at the proposed NASA
Research Park at Moffett Field. The main campus is situated on 2,000 acres
of redwood forest and meadows, overlooking Monterey Bay. UC Santa Cruz also
operates the Monterey Bay Education, Science and Technology Center (MBEST)
on 1,000 acres of the former Ft. Ord in Monterey County. Nationally
recognized in astronomy/astrophysics, economics, and education among other
disciplines, UC Santa Cruz enrolls approximately 12,000 students who study
a variety of majors in natural sciences, engineering, social sciences,
arts, and humanities.

Founded in 1857, San José State University (SJSU) was the first public
institution of higher learning established on the West Coast. From its
beginnings as a normal school to train teachers for the developing
frontier, SJSU has become Silicon Valley’s “Metropolitan University,” with
an enrollment of 27,000 students. Through its eight colleges the
university offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 134 programs. The
university’s College of Engineering is ranked as one of the nation’s best.
The university’s location in the Silicon Valley makes it an exceptionally
rewarding learning environment for students. Silicon Valley firms and
agencies seek SJSU students for internships, summer work programs and for
assistance with research projects.

The Foothill-De Anza Community College District was founded in 1957 to
serve residents of Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View,
Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, and portions of Santa Clara and San José. The
district also serves as the primary high school to community college link
to the Fremont Union, Mountain View-Los Altos Union and Palo Alto Unified
high school districts. District officials say the challenge of the 21st
century includes the need to serve a growing and diverse student
population. Since 1957, Foothill-De Anza has responded to the needs of more
than one million students who have enrolled in its day, evening, off campus
and online courses. The innovative workforce that has transformed the
Silicon Valley is comprised of more than 500,000 former Foothill-De Anza
students.

NASA Ames Research Center recently announced the Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
regulations to develop the land at Moffett Field under NASA ownership. The
proposed developments include the area called the NASA Research Park in
which the academic, industry and nonprofit partners hope to conduct their
research and education programs. NASA Ames has a vibrant education
outreach program, hosting many events onsite and delivering NASA education
materials to classrooms nationally. NASA plans to develop with these
academic and nonprofit partners a teacher institute, which will include
teacher enhancement programs, development of multimedia products for
students and teachers, and host onsite and internet-based education events.
NASA Ames is partnering with organizations to conduct research in
astrobiology, nanotechnology, information technology and other
aerospace-related research areas.

-end-