Lockheed Martin today announced the establishment of a research program at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez (UPRM), extending its 4-year relationship with the leading Hispanic engineering and technology institution. To initiate the program, the Corporation will provide $300,000 in funding this year for two projects that address customer technology challenges in the areas of synthetic aperture radar data processing and explosive chemical detection.

"UPRM is known throughout Latin America and the U.S. as a higher education leader and innovator in the engineering and technology sciences," said Stan Sloane, Executive Vice President for Lockheed Martin's Integrated Systems & Solutions business area. "With this partnership we hope to establish a mutually-beneficial, long term program that furthers UPRM's awareness of our customers' technology challenges while providing us access to some of the world's most talented Hispanic scientists and engineers."

"It's an honor to build on our collaborative ties with Lockheed Martin," said Jorge Ivan Velez Arocho, UPRM Chancellor. "The Mayaguez Campus has a strong education and investigation tradition in several engineering disciplines. This donation will allow us to strengthen initiatives already established in our institution and will help further develop our investigation projects."

"Lockheed Martin's decision reinforces our island's ability to attract investment for the development of new technologies in the IT and engineering industries," said Boris Jaskille, executive director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO). "We are very enthusiastic about expanding our relationship with Lockheed Martin and proud of our island's talent in contributing to help us grow these promising industries."

This partnership will enhance Lockheed Martin's strategic relationship with UPRM, which was established in 2003. Since then, the corporation has hired eight UPRM engineering graduates and provided internships, scholarships and research funding. The first set of projects under this expanded program will focus on the implementation of techniques for algorithms supporting space-based digital processing of synthetic aperture radar data. Additionally, the university's Center for Chemical Sensor Development for Explosives and Chemical Imaging will perform modeling, analysis, simulation and experiments with various explosives and other compounds.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2006 sales of $39.6 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin