Georgia Tech and Sandia National Laboratories Renew Strategic Partnership to Advance National Security Research and Talent Development
Georgia Tech and Sandia National Laboratories have renewed their long-standing collaboration through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), reaffirming a partnership that has strengthened research capabilities, fostered innovation, and expanded talent pipelines since its inception.
The renewed MOU builds on a relationship that began in the mid-2010s, formalized in 2015, and expanded in 2020. The partnership has driven progress across a range of national security‑aligned areas, including hypersonics, secure artificial intelligence and computing, quantum technologies, advanced manufacturing, energy and grid resilience, critical minerals, and biosciences.
“At its core, this partnership is about people,” said Tim Lieuwen, Executive Vice President for Research at Georgia Tech. “Sandia and Georgia Tech share a commitment to discovery and developing the talent, creativity, and collaboration our nation needs. This renewed agreement strengthens our connections, opens new doors for students, and builds meaningful career pathways into national service.”
Joint faculty appointments, such as Anirban Mazumdar holding roles at both Sandia and the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, highlight the deep institutional integration. The partnership also continues to expand career opportunities for students, positioning Georgia Tech as a key pipeline for national security talent.
Dan Sinars, Sandia’s Deputy Chief Research Officer, noted,
“Our research benefits both national security and national prosperity, and keeps the country at the forefront of the world. The renewed MOU gives us an exciting opportunity to expand our collaboration and tackle new scientific and engineering challenges together.”
Since 2018, the collaboration has generated $35 million in research sponsorships, produced 450 co-authored publications, and strengthened the alumni talent pipeline, with 325 Georgia Tech graduates currently employed at Sandia. The renewed MOU aims to accelerate this growth through increased funding, joint publications, and faculty-led startups.
George White, Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships at Georgia Tech, added,
“We view our work with Sandia as a model for engagement with other national labs. With this new MOU, we are poised to double our research footprint over the next five years and continue addressing national priorities through science, engineering, and talent development.”
The agreement underscores the institutions’ shared commitment to integrated research, education, and innovation in areas critical to national security, ensuring that discoveries and talent developed through this collaboration continue to contribute to the nation’s technological leadership.
