Iowa State University
9-26-96

Contacts:
James Melsa, Engineering Dean, (515) 294-5935
Randall Geiger, Electrical and Computer Engineering, (515) 294-7745
Teddi Barron, Engineering Communications, (515) 294-0262
Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917

ROCKWELL GIFT SUPPORTS ISU COMPUTER CHIP DESIGN CENTER

AMES, Iowa -- The Rockwell Trust Fund, Pittsburgh, will present a $100,000 gift to the Analog and Mixed Signal VLSI Design Center at Iowa State University Friday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m.

The gift is the first in a three-year, $300,000 pledge to support the interdisciplinary research center, which focuses on design and construction of electronic computer chips. The chips are at the heart of many of today's high-technology products, from computers to cellular telephones to controllers used in washing machines and automobiles.

The gift will be presented by Robert J. Tibor, vice president of advanced technology and engineering at Rockwell's Collins Avionics & Communications Div., Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Rockwell joins Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas, as a corporate sponsor of the center.

"We are very pleased to be partnering with Rockwell, which has a major activity in Iowa and a major presence in this high-tech industry," said Randall Geiger, ISU professor of electrical and computer engineering. "Many departmental graduates now work at Rockwell and we hope this helps provide an opportunity for graduates of the analog and mixed signal VLSI program."

Corporate partners will be a primary source of funding for the center, Geiger added. "Rockwell's gift will help support graduate and undergraduate research, equipment, software and other initiatives of the center."

In addition to Geiger, ISU faculty involved with the center are William Black, Marwan Hassoun and Edward Lee.

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Editors:
Reporters are welcome to attend the Rockwell presentation. It will be held Friday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. in room 205 of Marston Hall.