Officials from Missouri S&T and Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies signed a Master Collaboration Agreement Sept. 15, 2015.Photo courtesy of Missouri University of Science and TechnologyOfficials from Missouri University of Science and Technology announced a master collaboration agreement with Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies on Sept. 15 that will allow the two organizations to work more closely on research and development of new technology to meet national security needs.

“Missouri S&T is fortunate to have a longstanding partnership with Honeywell – from our research collaborations to active recruiting of our students,” Missouri S&T Chancellor Cheryl B. Schrader said during the formal signing ceremony. “Our ceremony this afternoon formalizes a partnership many years in the making. And it also opens the door to a new era of collaboration and innovation.” The signing ceremony was held at 1:10 p.m. today in Toomey Hall, Missouri S&T’s mechanical and aerospace engineering complex.

“Honeywell has a strong track record with the university for recruiting many talented students and promoting research and development of new technologies,” said Robin Stubenhofer, vice president of engineering for Honeywell FM&T, “We are pleased to extend that partnership in support of an innovative research educational environment to further support the readiness of tomorrow’s leaders and meet important national security needs.”

The master collaboration agreement between Honeywell and Missouri S&T will expedite future research contracts that are funded through Honeywell, but it will also foster other non-monetary collaborations, such as interaction between Missouri S&T faculty and students and Honeywell personnel and the exchange of faculty, students or other researchers.

“The master collaboration agreement recognizes the tremendous value added by and successes of past engagements and demonstrates mutual trust and respect,” says Dr. K. Krishnamurthy, vice provost for research at Missouri S&T. “It substantiates a commitment to expand beyond the current, traditional level of engagement to a more holistic and strategic one.”

As part of the collaboration agreement, Honeywell and its customer, the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, are loaning a Renishaw AM250 additive manufacturing printing system to facilitate the use of new technology by Missouri S&T students. The research conducted with this equipment will be used to further study and identify material standards in the emerging field of additive manufacturing.

“Education is the foundation of a skilled workforce and helps fuel innovation,” said Stubenhofer. “On behalf of Honeywell and our federal government customer, we are pleased to support STEM collaboration while advancing the national security mission.”