Khalifa University in research collaboration with Lockheed Martin
ABU DHABI, September 3, 2020
Khalifa University of Science and Technology and Lockheed Martin, a US-based global aerospace, security and technology leader, have signed a MoU to collaborate on research and academic initiatives that will help advance technology and human capital development in the UAE.
It is the first of several planned formal agreements between Lockheed Martin and Khalifa University to increase the pipeline of highly skilled aerospace, defense, technology and security engineers in the region.
Under this agreement, Lockheed Martin and Khalifa University will explore opportunities for co-operation, led by the university’s faculty, in areas including machine intelligence, autonomy, microelectronics, structural and thermal materials and air vehicle research.
The publication of research, along with development and assessment of academic course material, will also add to knowledge sharing through the MoU, stated Dr Steven H Walker, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Lockheed Martin, after inking the deal with Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University.
"At Lockheed Martin, we are committed to working together with colleges and universities to advance the strategic priorities of our customers," remarked Dr Walker, who recently joined the Khalifa University Board of Trustees, succeeding Lockheed Martin’s Executive Chairman Marillyn A. Hewson.
"As a well-respected research institution and a leading contributor to the UAE’s vision to shape a knowledge-based economy, Khalifa University is an obvious partner. We are confident that our collaboration will help advance STEM careers, evolve the country’s research ecosystem and provide unique opportunities for research and development activities," he added.
Lockheed Martin works with leading universities worldwide to sponsor research and perform collaborative research for government customers. The company’s Center for Innovation and Security Solutions, CISS, based in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, has hosted merit-based summer internship programs for top-performing UAE engineering students every year since 2017.
This summer, 16 talented students from leading institutions, including Khalifa University, are interning virtually at the CISS to comply with distance learning measures aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19.
Dr Al Hammadi said: "As a research-intensive educational institution that seeks to produce world leaders and critical thinkers in applied science and engineering, Khalifa University is delighted to partner with Lockheed Martin to focus more on advanced research areas."
"The MoU with a globally leading aerospace and advanced technologies company will not only help develop talent locally through STEM collaborations, but also offer us access to Lockheed Martin’s technological capabilities," he noted.
"We believe equipping the youth in the UAE and building new capacities in areas including aerospace will benefit the country, contributing to catalyzing the growth of the rapidly developing knowledge-economy of Abu Dhabi and the UAE," he added.
With 19 research centers focusing on various economic sectors that are considered strategic to the UAE, Khalifa University drives innovation and scientific exploration in advanced technology areas such as aerospace, nuclear engineering, advanced materials, oil and gas, and clean energy.
Each year, the University adds a sizable number of patents to the intellectual property basket of the UAE. At present, Khalifa University has 126 issued patents, with 343 patent applications pending, and more than 400 invention disclosures.-TradeArabia News Service
