University of Arizona

David W. Hahn, the College of Engineering’s Craig M. Berge Dean, and Riki Ellison, founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, signed a memorandum of understanding on Oct. 19 to establish the Institute for Near Space Studies on behalf of the University of Arizona and MDAA.

Since 2002, MDAA has focused on the development and deployment of missile defense for homeland security. Ellison, who attended Amphitheater High School in Tucson, also started the Youth Impact Program in 2006 to provide a free STEM curriculum for inner-city kids.

The institute is expected to bolster the university’s near-space and hypersonic research as well as related academic programs and STEM outreach.

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