1/20/00
Mitch Emmons, 334/844-5741
AU-RUSSIAN PARTNERS COMMERCIALIZE NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGY
AUBURN -- Auburn University has joined with Russian partners and the San Diego-based firm General Atomics to commercialize a new energy production technology that converts heat into electricity.
The partnership was established last fall when AU's College of Business hosted five Russian scientists and businessmen from the Lutch Scientific Research Institute who trained in business development techniques.
Auburn is one of only three U.S. universities selected to participate in the project sponsored through the State Department and the International Science and Technology Center of Moscow.
The objective is to create business opportunities in Russia that will help reduce the global threat of weapons of mass destruction, says Ralph Zee, Alumni Professor in Auburn's Department of Materials Engineering and technology advisor in the project.
Other AU advisors include professors Sharon Oswald and Michael Kincaid of the College of Business and William Fink of the Department of English. The effort also has involved Auburn and Russian MBA students and representatives from Russia's Lutch Scientific Research Institute.
The technology -- called thermionics -- converts heat directly into electricity. Although AU has been working with General Atomics in developing the technology for the past eight years, Russian scientists are ahead of their U.S. counterparts in its applications as a source of mobile power, according to Zee.
The five Russian participants spent several months at Auburn, improving their English skills and working with AU business students to develop a business plan for the project.
The partners presented their plan to the State Department in December.
jan00:AU-russians
CONTACT: Zee, 334/844-3320.