GE Aviation announced today (Jan. 16) that
Missouri University of Science and Technology, formerly the University of
Missouri-Rolla, has been selected as the home of a new University Development
Center to be located in Rolla. At least 30 engineering positions are expected
to be created in Rolla as a result of the
partnership.        

GE Aviation, an operating unit of General
Electric Co., is a leading provider of commercial and military jet engines and
components. The partnership with Missouri S&T will give GE Aviation access
to a talented pool of academic researchers and
students.         

“The engineering curriculum and academics at
Missouri S&T are complementary to the skill set and requirements within our
aerospace programs,” says Stuart Mullan, president of GE Aviation’s digital
systems business. “We have a great appreciation for what students can
contribute. This center will create a strong pool of emerging engineers to
provide design and development work for our aerospace
programs.”        

The engineering staff at the University
Development Center will perform various services, including software
development, verification and validation, mechanical design and hardware
design. GE, which is currently reviewing location options in Rolla, plans to
occupy the center in the second quarter of
2008.          

“The selection of Missouri S&T and Rolla
as the site for GE Aviation’s University Development Center is a credit to both
the quality of the students and faculty of the institution and the community,”
says Missouri S&T Chancellor John F. Carney III. “We are pleased to be
partners with GE Aviation, clearly one of world’s leading corporations, in this
endeavor and look forward to a long and successful
relationship.”         

The Missouri Department of Economic
Development, the City of Rolla, Phelps County and the university’s office of
technology commercialization and economic development collaborated to bring a
GE Aviation University Development Center to
Rolla.         

“This is a perfect example of what can happen
when we pool our resources and work with the university,” says Elizabeth Bax,
executive director of the Rolla Regional Economic Commission. “Our economic
development efforts have made a strong recognition of the fact that a
sustainable development strategy will make heavy use of the tremendous asset of
the university as a source of recruitment targets, as well as an asset to
advertise to potential
employers.”          

GE plans to actively recruit Missouri S&T
students for internships and entry-level positions. Applicants may view
positions and apply at http://www.soaringcareers.com/
.         

This project is administered through the
systems division of GE Aviation in Grand Rapids, Mich.