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Message from the President |
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Von Braun Center for Science & Innovation
(VCSI), I would like to thank you for taking time to access our web page and for your interest
in this new not-for-profit organization.
The VCSI was established in August 2006 by a group of Huntsville
Business Executives and university officials. Our goal is to create a nationally and
internationally recognized research organization to assist key federal agencies
by providing scientific and engineering applications and solutions for their most
pressing requirements. As we like to say, the VCSI focus is R for D, not R&D. We also are
creating an environment that promotes the integration and support of university research and
hands-on learning experiences for faculty and students.
The basic model for VCSI is based on inclusiveness and new and innovative collaborations involving
industry, academia, and government — highly competent people and organizations sharing their talents,
assets, and technical acumen. At the outset, we are integrating key assets from the Alabama research
universities and business research and technology communities including all seven Alabama Research Universities. At the heart of our approach are the University
of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama A&M University, and the National Space and Science Technology Center
(NSSTC) which are all located in Huntsville in close proximity to our initial customer set which includes the
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command, the Defense Intelligence
Agency's Missile and Space Intelligence Center (MSIC), the US Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM),
the US Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), the US Army Materiel
Command (AMC) and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). As we progress, we will also include other nationally
recognized academic assets with the skills and capabilities to meet the needs of our customers and we will
simultaneously build the customer portfolio.
As Werner Von Braun so wisely noted, Huntsville will have to capitalize on local assets and attract and
develop nationally recognized capabilities if we want to be a part of turning our nation's research and
technology goals into realities - be they in support of our civil, commercial, or defense needs.
We are creating a unique entity in Huntsville that will capitalize on our incredible technical assets, so
that one day — the Von Braun Center for Science & Innovation will be thought of in the same context as
Lincoln Labs, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Southwest Research Institute, or the Applied Physics Lab.
Thank you for taking time to learn more about us and I hope that one day we might work with your organization
to help turn our nation's dreams into realities.
Sincerely,
William H. Gurley
President
Von Braun Center for Science & Innovation
Board of Directors
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