Boeing

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 11, 2008 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] is supporting the development of educational programs at two leading U.S. universities that offer courses in modeling and simulation (M&S) engineering.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, Va., have each received a $100,000 educational grant from Boeing. UAH will develop a new M&S degree program, while ODU will use the grant to refine and expand its current M&S curricula.

The programs are available to qualified students in accordance with each university's admissions process. Boeing is also supporting the programs by providing financial reimbursement to company employees who choose to enhance their M&S skills through the programs.

Boeing Advanced Systems' Analysis, Modeling, Simulation and Experimentation (AMSE) organization is sponsoring the grant effort.

"Boeing has a growing need for highly qualified modeling and simulation practitioners," said Guy Higgins, Boeing vice president of AMSE. "By partnering with academia, we can play a role in ensuring that the next generation of modeling and simulation professionals has the skills it needs to be successful."

"We are committed to developing our current and future talent in this way," said Joyce Wheeler, AMSE manager of Professional Development. "In addition to grants and tuition reimbursement for employees, we include these programs in our 'learning roadmaps' that help employees plan their career growth and professional development. We are laying the groundwork to ensure that Boeing will have the skilled M&S professionals we will need to better understand and meet customer needs."

Both universities will offer M&S graduate and continuing-education programs, including distance learning, that are designed in conjunction with industry and government experts to ensure the development of highly qualified M&S professionals. The universities will also collaborate with M&S community efforts including the M&S Body of Knowledge project and the Modeling and Simulation Professional Certification Commission -- programs established to identify what M&S professionals need to know, and how to measure their understanding and ability to apply their knowledge.

The U.S. government has also recognized the importance of increasing the ranks of well-trained M&S professionals. Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives, in HR 4165, declared that M&S is a critical national technology. In August 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law a program that will provide government grants to universities that commit to establishing and improving M&S education programs. The Boeing grants build on these national initiatives.