Dr. Feng Named to Science-Technology Executive Committee Of National Defense Industrial Association

Dr. Da Hsuan Feng

RICHARDSON, Texas (June 15, 2004) – Dr. Da Hsuan Feng, vice president for research and graduate education and a professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), has been appointed to the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Science and Technology (SET) Executive Committee.

As a member of the committee, Feng will help develop the 2005 SET Conference program, a national symposium designed to generate interaction among the Department of Defense (DoD), industry and academia. Members also maintain close communication with the DoD in order to be able to alert the defense research and advanced technology community of the department’s plans and goals.

Feng was one of six new members endorsed at a recent meeting of the SET Executive Committee. Others appointed were Clive Billiald of the British Embassy in Washington D.C.; Dr. Ray Johnson of Science Application International Corp.; Dr. Hendrick Ruck of Wright Patterson Air Force Base; Herb Finkelstein of Arizona State University, and James Wasson of BAE Systems.

“Communication between government agencies like the DoD and industry and academia are critical to the continued progress of national defense,” said Feng. “I believe very strongly in the goals of the NDIA, and one of them is to encourage stronger and sustainable participation of the defense science and technology efforts. This organization is a key component in enhancing defense-related research, which includes all cutting-edge endeavors done around the nation.”

The NDIA was formed in March 1997 by the merger of the American Defense Preparedness Association and the National Security Industrial Association. The organization is designed to serve as a legal and ethical forum for the interchange of ideas between the government and industry in order to resolve industrial problems of joint concern. The SET focuses on developing open forums to help industry and academia meet the technological needs of the DoD.

Feng was nominated to the committee in part because of his understanding of a wide variety of research issues and his drive to develop collaborations between different organizations. His contacts, both national and international, also were a factor in his selection.

Feng, meanwhile, will give two major speeches and chair a key session at a seminar in Taipei in the coming months.

On June 18, he will address “Science, Technology and Entrepreneur Spirit on Both Shores of the Pacific in the 21st Century: A Global Transformation” as part of a conference hosted by the Korea Trade & Investment Promotion Agency, the Metroplex Technology Business Council, Locke Liddell & Sapp and the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce in order to provide area business with a chance to explore international business opportunities in Korea, Gumi City and the Pacific Region. The conference will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the law offices of Lodke Liddell & Sapp at 2200 Ross Avenue in Dallas.

Feng’s second speech will be the plenary lecture on the topic of “Responsibilities of Research Universities in the Pacific Rim in the 21st century” at the Malaysian Science and Technology Congress (MSTC), which will be held Oct. 5-7 in Selangor, Malaysia. The congress is put on by the Confederation of Scientific and Technological Associations in Malaysia, a group of 32 leading associations promoting science, technology and entrepreneurial efforts in that country. MSTC began in 1992 and attracts hundreds of researchers from around the world to Malaysia to discuss recent developments in the natural sciences and engineering. It is the primary scientific conference in Malaysia and is supported by the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation.

Finally, Feng will serve as chairman of a session entitled “Industrial Transformation and Transition” at the Engineering and Technology Seminar (METS) Nov. 14 to 18 in Taipei, Republic of China.

About UTD

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls more than 13,700 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s web site at www.utdallas.edu.