Purdue, Mexican institute partner for wide spectrum of collaborations
February 19, 2015
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Purdue University has formed a partnership with the Institute of Innovation and Technology Transfer (I2T2 ) of Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico. Signing the memorandum of understanding, from left, are Ken Sandel, senior director of Sponsored Program Services at Purdue; Jaime Parada, CEO and general director of I2T2A partnership agreement; and Dan Hirleman, Purdue's chief corporate and global partnerships officer. Looking on is Ernesto E. Marinero, a Purdue professor of materials engineering and director of the Deliberate Innovation for Faculty program. |
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University has formed a partnership with the Institute of Innovation and Technology Transfer (I2T2 ) of Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico, aimed at developing joint research and educational programs and business developments.
The partnership was conceived by Purdue professors Ernesto E. Marinero and Joseph Pekny working jointly with Jaime Parada, CEO and general director of I2T2. Marinero is a professor of materials engineering and director of the Deliberate Innovation for Faculty program in the areas of nanotechnology, materials engineering and manufacturing. Pekny is interim director of the Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship and a professor of chemical engineering. Six doctoral students from Mexico were admitted to Purdue in fall 2014 on scholarships made possible by I2T2 in the initial phase of the partnership.
"Through the signing of a memorandum of understanding, Purdue wishes to cement our commitment to the growth of the developing partnership with organizations, companies, universities and agencies in the state of Nuevo Leon," said Dan Hirleman, Purdue's chief corporate and global partnerships officer.
I2T2 (pronounced I squared, T squared) is a government entity of the state of Nuevo Leon, a border state in Northeastern Mexico, that acts on behalf of the academic and research institutions and technology clusters, in promoting strategic plans for the technological and economic development of Nuevo Leon.
"I think the broad spirit of this agreement is aimed at future partnership activities to enable Purdue and I2T2 to work both as one-to-one partners and to promote various types of collaborations," said Pekny.
Marinero said, "The educational, industrial, research and government ecosystem of Monterrey-Nuevo Leon coordinated by I2T2 is sophisticated and highly developed, thus presenting a unique opportunity for strategic engagements with Mexico benefitting both partners."
The agreement seeks to facilitate student and faculty exchanges and joint research projects, with a focus on nanotechnology, biotechnology, automotive and aeronautics technologies, agriculture, food security, energy, sustainable housing, medical devices, and energy-efficient home appliances. Officials from I2T2 are particularly interested in potential collaborations with researchers and entrepreneurs at the Purdue Research Park and Discovery Park, working through the Burton D. Morgan Center.
A partnership agreement was signed on Thursday (Feb. 19) by Parada, Hirleman and Ken Sandel, senior director of Sponsored Program Services at Purdue. Parada is former director of the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, or National Council of Science and Technology
Leading the partnership are Marinero, Pekny and Hazel Marinero, director of Experiential Entrepreneurship at the Burton D. Morgan Center. The partnership could impact business development toward creation of bi-national startups, providing new market opportunities for Indiana businesses and new investment in Purdue technologies or Indiana technologies from companies and investors in Mexico.
Writer: Emil Venere, 765-494-3470, venere@purdue.edu
Sources: Dan Hirleman 765-494-9095, hirleman@purdue.edu
Joseph Pekny, 765-494-7901, pekny@purdue.edu
Ernesto Marinero 765 494 4604, eemarinero@purdue.edu
