Old Main and the Utah State University campus. Photo courtesy of Utah State University.
LOGAN – Thursday morning officials from Utah State University and Hill Air Force Base reached an Education Partnership Agreement which will spur joint research efforts and create enhanced learning opportunities for students.
Dixon Nielson, director of industry relations for USU’s College of Engineering, said one of many reasons to create this partnership is to enhance USU’s already strong aerospace program.
“The hope is that by facilitating this agreement we’re going to be able to spend time at Hill Air Force Base with their personnel, with their equipment, with their systems to become better acquainted with how they do what they do,” Nielson said, “and then be able to translate that into how we can improve what we do from a research and from an education standpoint.”
He said because of the secret nature of some of the Air Force’s work, the two agencies have to be careful finding ways for students to learn.
“We needed to find a way to allow us to get through a lot of that process” Nielson added, “and agree that we’re not going to go into those areas where it’s inappropriate for USU students to be, while at the same time allowing them to be able to have some good experiences and really understanding what kinds of things Hill Air Force Base does.”
The agreement was signed Thursday on campus by USU President Noelle Cockett and Edward Ayer, director of the Air Force Sustainment Center’s Engineering Directorate in Ogden.
The new five-year agreement also provides members of the Air Force opportunities to earn certificates and degrees at USU.
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