HII has strengthened its collaboration with the University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering, joining the school’s Corporate Partners Program through its Mission Technologies division. The partnership is designed to support joint research, promote technology development and create new pathways for intellectual property licensing and innovation in defence and autonomous systems.
Garry Schwartz, chief operating officer of Mission Technologies, was appointed earlier this year to the industry advisory board of the university’s Autonomous Technologies Research Innovation and eXploration (MATRIX) Lab. He said the expanded partnership reinforces HII’s commitment to bridging industry and academia to drive advances in defence and national-security technology.
“This collaboration underscores HII’s commitment to bridging industry and academia to accelerate innovation in defense and national security,” Schwartz said. “This reflects our ongoing investment in innovation leadership and dedication to advancing defense technology through strategic partnerships.”
The MATRIX Lab, based in southern Maryland, is a research and education facility focused on autonomy and uncrewed systems. It maintains multiple affiliations with the U.S. Department of Defense, including the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, and serves as a centre for advanced experimentation and workforce development in emerging autonomous technologies.
HII’s participation in the Corporate Partners Program supports initiatives such as student recruitment and internships, scholarships, awards, competitions and campus events. The program is intended to strengthen connections between industry and academic research while expanding opportunities for students and faculty.
As part of the sponsorship, Mission Technologies will establish the HII Lecture Series, which will bring together leaders from government, industry and academia to discuss emerging technologies, mission challenges and opportunities for collaboration.
Dr Reza Ghodssi, the Clark School’s executive director of research and innovation, said the partnership will help combine the university’s research capability with HII’s industry perspective. He said the collaboration aims to address “grand challenges” in autonomy and defence innovation for both Maryland and the broader national security community.
