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Grant will Establish Sustainable Aluminum Industry Center at the University of Kentucky
LEXINGTON, KY - 10/18/2004
Joining other top-echelon universities, the University of Kentucky (UK) has been awarded a grant to fund a Sloan Industry Center focusing on research into challenges confronting the aluminum industry. Secat, Inc., an aluminum technology and research firm established as a university-industry partnership, will play a key role in the new Center, which will be housed in the Gatton College of Business and Economics. Dr. Subodh K. Das, President and CEO of Secat, will be Executive Director of the new Center.
The new Sloan Center for a Sustainable Aluminum Industry will further build on the close partnership between the University of Kentucky Center for Aluminum Technology, Secat, and the aluminum industry. Providing work for almost 18,000 Kentuckians, the industry is the state's fifth largest employer.
UK President Lee T. Todd, Jr. noted that the new center joins 22 other Sloan Centers for Industry housed at 14 universities across the country, including MIT, Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, and the Georgia Institute of Technology." Dr. Todd added that UK's success resulted from the combined efforts of The Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet, representatives from the state's aluminum industry, the University of Louisville (whose faculty will participate in the research) and UK.
Gail Pesyna, program director for the Foundation, agreed. "We were impressed by the strategic direction of the Gatton College, the historic partnership between UK and the aluminum industry, and by the remarkable degree of cooperation and support exhibited through the Secat group. We believe this Center will make important practical contributions as well as equally important intellectual contributions to academia."
Pat Franc, President of Arco Aluminum in Louisville and chairman of the board of Secat noted: "We are pleased that the esteemed Sloan Foundation has recognized the unique and robust relationship between the university, government and industry that is embodied within Secat and the innovation and value that aluminum brings to the daily lives of Kentuckians and the surrounding region."
Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher also welcomed the news: "Opportunity is certainly an ongoing goal of my administration, and I am confident the UK Sloan Center for a Sustainable Aluminum Industry will provide a multitude of opportunities in areas such as economic development, environmental issues, and research. "I commend the Sloan Foundation for choosing UK as the site for this new center, and I look forward to the industry growth this new endeavor will no doubt provide for Kentucky."
Paul Jarley, the Gatton College faculty member named to be the new Sloan Center director, explained that the research will focus on four areas of concern to the aluminum industry: recycling; supply chain management; workforce development and deployment; and sustainability issues, including environmental matters. Jarley and Subodh Das both stressed that the Center's basic and applied research will be a key component in keeping America's aluminum industry globally competitive.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic organization established in l934 by Alfred Prichard Sloan, then the Chairman of General Motors. It supports research on such topics as the standard of living, economic performance and education in science and technology. Under the leadership of D. Sudharshan since July 2003, the Carol Martin Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky is redefining business education with a soon-to-be launched process MBA and an undergraduate program that nurtures the next generation of business leaders.
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