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April 18, 2001
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Sandia and UNM collaborate to train more, better information technology professionals

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Training more and better information technology professionals in New Mexico is the goal of a new Institute for Object Technology (IOT) at the University of New Mexico. Initial sponsor Sandia National Laboratories is collaborating with UNM to ensure that the IOT helps organizations upgrade existing information technology (IT) skills by developing new training and mentoring resources.

Information technology is one of America’s fastest growing industries, encompassing computers, software, telecommunications products and services, Internet and online services, systems integration, and professional services companies. IT refers to the collection of tools that make it easier to use, create, manage and exchange information. The demand for highly skilled software developers is growing faster than traditional development sources can respond. The widespread introduction of object-oriented technologies is also forcing practitioners to deal with fundamental changes in concepts and approaches to software development.

The IOT is a not-for-profit membership organization comprising private companies and public agencies that have a shared interest in advancing the general level of software development expertise. Sandia actively supports further development of the consortium. Organizations that have responsibility for, or an interest in, improving software development are invited to become members. IOT responds to member needs through training classes, mentoring/consulting, and regular technology updates. The institute uses recognized experts from within member companies, industry, and the academic community.

Now into its third set of classes, the IOT is housed at UNM and is managed for the IOT Board of Directors by New Mexico Engineering Research Institute (NMERI) in collaboration with several UNM groups, including the Albuquerque High Performance Computer Center, Computer Science Dept., and Electrical and Computer Engineering Dept. Program information is available at http://nmeri.unm.edu/IOT.htm. IOT works closely with the NMITSA Workforce Development Committee, the Next Generation Economy Initiative, and other groups that are striving to advance the region’s software development expertise.


Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major research and development responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies, and economic competitiveness.

Media contact:
Janet Carpenter, jacarpe@sandia.gov, (505) 844-7841

Sandia contact:
Olin Bray, ohbray@sandia.gov, (505) 844-7658

NMERI contact:
Norm Falk, falk@nmeri.unm.edu, (505) 272-7241




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