Center for Materials for Information Technology
Industrial Collaboration
The MINT Center was established in the late 1980’s as the State of Alabama was working to recruit flexible magnetic media manufacturing plants. MINT continues to work with its industrial partners on research in flexible media, but it has also broadened its research portfolio to include cutting edge research in spintronics, in new concepts for magnetic media, in magnetic random access memory and in other advanced information storage concepts. It is exciting to work in the area of information storage technology. We believe that no other technology has a history of moving fundamental discoveries into products as rapidly as ours.
Our industrial sponsors play a vital role in the MINT Center by providing direct funding, equipment grants, seminars, and participation in workshops. In 2007, sponsors include Fujitsu, Hitachi Maxell, IBM, Seagate and Western Digital. Several MINT faculty members also actively participate in research projects sponsored by the National Storage Industry Consortium.
A special characteristic of the Center is the willingness of its faculty members to understand the concerns of the industrial community and to develop impedance-matched communication links. Communication with our industrial sponsors is facilitated by semi-annual reviews of MINT research. In the fall MINT invites industrial sponsors and interested academics from around the world to attend a one day review of MINT Research at the MINT Center at UA. This is followed by workshop on a topic of current interest to the information storage community. In the spring MINT sends teams to its sponsors’ sites to present its latest research. The objective of both the Spring and Fall Reviews is as much for MINT faculty and leadership to learn as to teach. MINT prides itself on knowing what materials problems are important to its sponsors and in rapidly developing fundamental research plans that help to solve them.
Membership
Membership is open to industrial firms, government agencies and consortia with an interest in information storage technology. Fees are paid on an annual basis with the intent to renew on the anniversary date for at least three years. For every continuous three-year period of membership, a sponsor accumulates a bonus year which may be used to accommodate short-term financial stress.
Membership Levels
Partnering Member -- $150,000 Up to $75,000 may be directed toward specific projects. In addition, the sponsor obtains: Membership on the Industrial Advisory Board; Membership on the Executive Committee; Invitations to Center reviews and workshops; Reserved office and laboratory space; Royalty-free licenses; Annual visit of staff to designated site.
Supporting Member -- $100,000 Up to $40,000 may be directed toward specific projects. In addition, the sponsor obtains: Membership on the Industrial Advisory Board; Membership on the Executive Committee; Invitations to Center reviews and workshops; Preferred fixed fee ($25,000) licenses; Reserved office and laboratory space.
Sustaining Member -- $50,000 Up to $15,000 may be directed toward specific projects. In addition, the sponsor obtains: Membership on the Industrial Advisor Board; Membership on the Executive Committee; Invitations to Center reviews and workshops; Royalty-bearing licenses.
Exploratory Member -- $25,000 Available only for new sponsors in their first year. Equivalent to sustaining member. Equipment Gifts Equipment may be donated to the Center as part of the membership fees at the discretion of the Director. Patents The University retains the right to all patents derived from sponsored research. Governance Industry sponsors play a significant role in establishing the policies of the Center and in guiding the technical program. Sponsor representatives sit on the Executive Committee and the Technical Advisory Board which meet semi-annually at the Fall and Spring Research Reviews.