Nanotech research

Northwestern University, Ford and Boeing are to form an alliance to conduct nanotechnology research.

The announcement was made on October 6th at the dedication of the Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center, a new teaching facility on Northwestern’s Evanston campus.

Ford and Boeing will each provide financial support for three years, and Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science will provide administration of the alliance and office space for a full-time Ford employee who will serve as an industrial alliance co-ordinator.

The initial focus of the research conducted at the McCormick School and Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences will be nano-science pertaining to the interests of Ford and Boeing but activity will not necessarily be limited to that. It is expected that research in the areas of nano-composites, specialty metals, thermal materials, coatings and sensors will be among the projects.

The alliance will be overseen by an executive committee composed of the vice presidents of research of the partners or their designees.