Purdue Energetics Research Center works with DoD in ARL collaboration
ARL Central gives ARL a physical presence in Chicago and surrounding areas, enhancing ARL’s growing global science and technology ecosystem.
“The University of Chicago will serve as the hub for our efforts to increase our research portfolio in materials science,” Dr. Philip Perconti, ARL Director, said. “We look forward to maturing our collaborations with the University of Chicago and all the academic institutions that will make up ARL Central, to include Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Chicago, Purdue University, Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin as well as the industrial institutions.”
According to Stephen Beaudoin, this is an important step for the ARL and for PERC. “PERC members, working individually or in small teams, have historically enjoyed fruitful collaborations across the entire defense sector. This new hub reflects the quality of the work we have done in the past, and provides an excellent opportunity to further enrich our relationships with our defense partners.”
The vision of the organization is to broaden its access to regional technology innovation hubs by establishing extended campuses across the United States. Like ARL West, established with its headquarters at the University of Southern California in April 2016, and ARL South, established with the University of Texas Systems earlier this year, ARL’s latest facility—ARL Central—will leverage regional expertise and facilities throughout the central region to accelerate discovery, innovation and transition of science and technology.
“We are thrilled to have brought ARL Central into the Army’s expanding science and technology ecosystem,” said Perconti. “Allowing the Army to tap an extraordinary pool of talent across the central region will help the Army maintain technological leadership in an ever increasingly complex global environment.”