Industrial Partnerships
Industrial partnerships are the key to the capability and success of MPRG's educational and research mission. Close industry and government ties and strong industrial support ensure that MPRG's research and educational efforts address the needs and challenges of the wireless industry, while supporting and enhancing MPRG's infrastructure, students, curriculum, and research.
The MPRG Industrial Affiliate Program gives wireless companies a direct link to MPRG research, facilities, and personnel, while providing funding to generate a valuable knowledge base that can be shared by all affiliate companies and guidance that guarantees that MPRG's research addresses current and future industry needs. When the program was established in 1990, charter members AT&T, GTE, Motorola, and the FBI provided seed funding and industry guidance instrumental to the development of the group. Since the program's inception, affiliate membership has grown to over twenty wireless companies who enjoy priority access to MPRG research, facilities, and resources. As a benefit of membership, affiliate companies enjoy unlimited recruitment opportunities for both full-time and internship employees, limited consulting, a first look at all MPRG conference, journal, and trade papers, as well as technical reports, theses, and dissertations, and an open invitation to visit our facilities in Blacksburg. The close affiliate relationship keeps members abreast of the latest research developments and provides priority access to group resources for sponsored research when specific deliverables are required. Affiliate companies are also given priority when professional short courses and consulting outside the realm of the program are sought.
The annual Industrial Affiliate Board Meeting, held at Virginia Tech immediately prior to the wireless symposium each June, provides a forum for members to identify areas of industry need and direct MPRG research to meet those needs. The June visit also gives affiliates the chance to tour lab facilities, see equipment and research demos, and meet with students and faculty individually.
Sponsored research opportunities at MPRG provide a valuable resource for wireless companies and government agencies seeking to develop solutions for immediate challenges, design next generation systems, or identify emerging technologies. Recognized worldwide as a leader in wireless research, MPRG provides a broad range of expertise from system design, analysis, and simulation to location technologies. Well-equipped, state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and computing resources, unsurpassed in the university, provide a perfect setting for directed research and industry collaboration.
MPRG research developments have lead to a number of commercialization successes and spin-off companies. Today's sponsored research will provide the technology for the design and deployment of the next generation of wireless services.
Industrial partnerships, whether as an industrial affiliate, research sponsor, or equipment donor, are the key to MPRG's success as a national resource for wireless research and education.
