MSU and U.S. Navy officials sign formal education partnership agreement
NewsApril 18, 2017
PHILADELPHIA. Morgan State University (MSU) and Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) officials entered into a formal Education Partnership Agreement (EPA) to collaborate with faculty and students on certain U.S. Navy projects and other Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) efforts.
"Morgan State's engineering programs align well with what we do at Philadelphia, and a large number of their graduates are from within an hour's drive of Baltimore. We couldn't ask for a better partner, to strengthen NSWCPD's technical capabilities, to work on challenging issues facing Navy HM&E (hull, mechanical and electrical) systems, and to offer Morgan's graduates rewarding Navy civilian career opportunities. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Morgan State," says NSWCPD Commanding Officer Navy Capt. Francis E. Spencer III.
"We are delighted to sign this EPA. We have produced thousands of engineers, and we are happy to continue expanding our population of engineers," says Dr. Monique Head, Morgan State University Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies.
According to Head, MSU currently boasts 8,000 students, with 1,200 of those pursuing engineering programs.
In addition to mutual support for research, the agreement paves the way for NSWCPD to loan equipment to the university for educational purposes. NSWCPD's subject matter experts will also have the opportunity to teach science and engineering courses at Morgan State, and assist in the development of related courses.
The agreement also allows for future modification in order to meet the evolving needs of the two organizations. The EPA also addresses means of mutually protecting intellectual property, which includes proprietary information, data, and inventions.
The next steps are threefold: Morgan State faculty members will visit the Philadelphia Division in the summer. MSU will prepare to connect with NSWCPD for recruiting and career fairs. Finally, MSU will ensure that their students are ready for future career or research opportunities.
NSWCPD provides the Navy's primary technical expertise for naval machinery research and development, machinery cybersecurity and lifecycle engineering, and in-service engineering.
