Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (left) and Dean Zorica Pantic-Tanner

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison aids UTSA with $1.5 million appropriation for research partnership

(June 30, 2004)--The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved $15 million in defense project funding that includes $1.5 million to establish the Material Science and Engineering Laboratory and Center of Excellence partnership between KellyUSA and UTSA.

"I am proud to be part of the remarkable turnaround at KellyUSA," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, a member of the committee who helped secure the funding. "This just shows that Kelly is still bringing new prosperity and jobs to the city."

The collaboration will develop industry standards for maintenance, repair and overhaul of military vehicles and systems with an emphasis on assured safety. The primary focus will be aviation, but highway and rail systems will also be addressed.

UTSA will create new advanced degrees in material sciences and engineering and seek to attract new students to these fields.

"New educational programs and cutting-edge research in the area of materials will not only help UTSA become a premier research university, but also promote the economic growth of San Antonio and the South Texas region," said Zorica Pantic-Tanner, dean of the UTSA College of Engineering. "We will provide a high-tech work force and services to small and large businesses at KellyUSA including Boeing, Whitney-Pratt and Standard Aero. Our educational and research programs focused on light-weight, crash-resistant materials and fuel cells will strengthen our cooperation with Toyota."

UTSA is also working with the Southwest Research Institute's (SwRI) Functionally Integrated Reactive Surface Technologies (FIRST) program to carry out research and development on tools and clothing which would continue to function for military and first-responder personnel facing biologically, chemically or radiologically contaminated environments.

--Kris Rodriguez