Itron and WSU-ASL Establish Research Partnership

Itron and the Washington State University Applied Sciences Lab (ASL) announced today the establishment of a research partnership between the two organizations. Itron provided a gift to ASL of $250,000, which will be matched by The Cheney Cowles Foundation. The organizations also entered into a research agreement for $450,000 over three years, for a total commitment to ASL of $700,000 over five years.

"ASL allows Itron to extend our research and development capabilities into areas of material science and other disciplines where we do not have the

resources or expertise," said LeRoy Nosbaum, Itron chairman and CEO. "This partnership allows us to move more quickly from research to real-world application and supports our efforts to build new products for energy efficiency and water conservation that will enable us to become better stewards of our natural resources. ASL provides expertise for Itron locally that we can extend globally."

Yogendra Gupta, director of the WSU Institute for Shock Physics and founder of ASL, said, "We are pleased to partner with Itron in conducting applied research to address the organization's technical needs. Working with corporations is an important aspect of ASL's mission. Using our materials and simulations capabilities, we want to help Itron develop optimal products. Furthermore, Itron's support and involvement will ensure that our research efforts have an impact around the globe."

Itron engineers and ASL scientists have already begun collaboration on projects very important to Itron's future success in the marketplace. The primary focus of the work will be on applying advanced materials research from ASL to future Itron products that house sensitive electronics. Itron's utility customers require advanced electronic products that will perform reliably in harsh environments for up to 20 years. The materials expertise of the ASL staff will help Itron ensure that it continues to meet these challenging reliability requirements in the development of more advanced energy and water management products.

Washington State University's Applied Sciences Laboratory is based in Spokane, Wash. ASL is a contract research organization that undertakes a broad range of applied research projects for government agencies and private corporations, including the development of commercial applications. ASL, formed in 2004, is the applied research component of Washington State University's Institute for Shock Physics but with a research emphasis well beyond shock physics. Visit www.asl.wsu.edu.