UA Partnering with NASA in National Space Center

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The center is a joint project between NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the Alabama Space Science and Technology Alliance — a group of six research universities in the state. Joining UA in the alliance is The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama A&M University, the University of South Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham and Auburn University.

More than 450 full-time researchers and scientists located at the center are collaborating with those at the research universities and with private industry. Research will focus on areas that help NASA in its mission such as materials science, biotechnology, earth sciences, rocket propulsion and optics. Students at the participating universities will help write proposals and conduct research.

According to the project proposal for the new center, the collaboration of government, university and industry researchers has proven to be a highly successful formula. Advantages of this type of arrangement include the growth of competitively funded research programs; the involvement of other public and private entities in research activities; and the leveraging of resources to maximize the investment return for both NASA and the state of Alabama.