BlackboardFlorida Advanced Center for Composite Technologies Recognized as a Program OF Prominence
The Florida Advanced Center for Composite Technologies (FAC2T) was recognized as a Program of Prominence at the Higher Education Funding Advisor Council on August 23, and again at the Florida Board of Education meeting on August 28.
Noting its ability to obtain "maximum return on minimal investment," Vice Chancellor R.E. LeMon of the Academic and Student Affairs, Division of Colleges and Universities, cited FAC2T as an example of "the right way" of raising and using resources in a higher education setting.
Receiving only $100,000 from the state, Dr. LeMon pointed out that FAC2T has generated over $1 million from external sources each year for the past two years.
FAC2T raised 40% of its external funds through industry sponsors, such as Ashland, Boeing, Cummins Engines, GKN Aerospace Services, Lockheed Martin Co., MTS, Owens Corning and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.
FAC2T also has worked with a variety of government sponsors, including the Department of Energy, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Science Foundation, Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, United States Air Force Research Laboratory, United States Army Research Laboratory and United States Office of Naval Research.
Dr. LeMon noted FAC2T's recent recognition as Florida's first National Science Foundation Industry University Cooperative Research Center. The Center will collaborate with industry and government agencies to develop and advance technologies in the composite industry.
He also pointed out the promising growth of the relatively new composite industry, in which FAC2T is engaged in developing technology. This $25 billion industry today is expected to become $110 billion industry by 2015.
