CNS, Auburn agree to collaborate in areas ranging from computing to tool development

 

Consolidated Nuclear Security, which operates the Y-12 National Security Complex, recently signed an agreement with Auburn University with the goal of creating collaborations in areas ranging from computing to advanced machine tool development, a press release said.

The partnership between the university and CNS, which also manages and operates the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, was created to formalize areas of interest, identify potential collaborative, and cooperative efforts, and establish a framework and boundaries for future discussions, the press release said.

“By combining the talents and resources of Auburn and Y-12, we’re creating a pipeline that flows both ways,” said Mike Beck, CNS vice president for mission engineering. “We look forward to working with some of the university’s brightest students as interns and grads to help us meet our important national security mission, and we are hopeful they can use our real-world manufacturing environment to help develop and prove some of their projects.”

Beck and Auburn Vice President of Research and Economic Development John Mason signed the memorandum of understanding, or MOU, at the university in July.

“While Auburn previously has developed relationships in Oak Ridge, we are enthusiastic about cultivating our relationship with both sites because it will allow our students to have hands-on learning experiences while developing technologies,” Mason said. “I look forward to the development of this partnership and the possibilities that will come from it.”

The two entities already have met to discuss possible ventures. Five Auburn faculty members, including the associate dean for research, visited Y-12 researchers in August, and the two groups found common ground on more than a half-dozen areas of possible collaboration.

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