Thursday, March 10, 2011

State extends UMass Lowell-Shenkar College agreement

By James M. Connolly

The Patrick Administration today announced an expansion of an October 2010 research and development agreement between the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Nanomanufacturing Center of Excellence and Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in Israel.

Housing and Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki, in Israel with Gov. Deval Patrick’s trade mission, said researchers at both institutions will investigate fabrication processes for materials with potential to reduce costs for maintaining and servicing aircraft. In October, the two schools announced a joint graduate program in plastics engineering.

With today’s agreement, the administration committed $30,000 to further the research collaboration and to explore pathways to commercialization in nanoscale science and engineering. A similar commitment is expected from Shenkar.

Massachusetts’ contribution to the partnership comes from a $5 million multi-year grant awarded in 2005 by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s John Adams Innovation Institute to establish the UMass Lowell Nanomanufacturing Center of Excellence.

UMass Lowell Chancellor Marty Meehan said the partnership pairs Shenkar’s nanotech science experts with UMass Lowell’s nanotech manufacturing experts.