Madison Reporter

At a recent ceremony at Bascom Hall, the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Sandia National Laboratories celebrated the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to solidify their strategic partnership for the future of science and engineering for national security. The agreement was hailed as a significant milestone in fostering collaboration between the two institutions.

Cynthia Czajkowski, UW–Madison’s Interim Vice Chancellor for Research, expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, "This MOU really cements the strategic partnership between Sandia National Laboratories and UW–Madison, and opens the door to further collaboration between these two research powerhouses." She emphasized UW–Madison's commitment to innovation for societal challenges, aligning with the shared goal of finding solutions for societal problems.

Rob Leland, Director of Sandia’s Climate Change Security Center, echoed this sentiment, saying, “Sandia wants to expand our relationships with the great public research universities, and I am delighted to be a part of the effort here at the University of Wisconsin–Madison." Leland also highlighted the value of UW–Madison's expertise in STEM fields and expressed Sandia's long-term commitment to the partnership.

During their visit to campus, Erik Webb, a UW alum and representative of Sandia National Laboratories, commended UW–Madison's extensive research efforts focused on global challenges. Webb stated, "We are deeply impressed with the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s depth and breadth of science, engineering, and social and policy efforts focused on the global climate challenge as well as the cutting edge and truly unique experimental facilities we saw."

The memorandum of understanding between UW–Madison and Sandia National Laboratories aims to promote collaboration between research staff and faculty, offering unique opportunities for internships and sharing of expertise in areas of common interest. By leveraging each other's strengths, the partnership seeks to address complex national security challenges and drive innovation for the public good.