Release Details

BALTIMORE, March 19, 2001 -- Bridging the engineering workforce gap is the aim of the newest collaboration between Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector (ES3) and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).

ES3 has donated $80,000 to UMBC to establish the Northrop Grumman Scholarship/Fellowship Program, providing annual full academic scholarships to selected undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in engineering, computer science or computer engineering. UMBC has agreed to match the donation, doubling the number of scholarships in the program.

All selected students will have an opportunity to participate in a summer internship with Northrop Grumman as part of the program, provided they maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA.

The selection committee will comprise representatives of the UMBC College of Engineering, UMBC Scholarship Office and Northrop Grumman.

"Northrop Grumman, like many other businesses across Maryland, has critical requirements for a highly skilled workforce," said James F. Pitts, vice president and general manager of Engineering and Manufacturing at Northrop Grumman ES3. "It is imperative that the state's higher education system be able to respond to these needs and help provide the employees that will enable us to remain competitive.

"Through partnerships such as this, Northrop Grumman continues to be proactive in ensuring a steady influx of new engineering and technical talent that not only guarantees our success as a corporation, but the future of our nation," Pitts said.

"Northrop Grumman is a proven leader and a key to the success of Maryland's high-tech industry, and we are proud to be able to collaborate with them on so many levels," said UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski III. "This scholarship program will enable UMBC to continue to attract and keep the best students, and widen the technology workforce pipeline."

Northrop Grumman has enjoyed a close working relationship with UMBC on a variety of industrial-academic partnerships for a number of years, most recently on the UMBC-led Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology (GEST) consortium.

GEST's central mission, in collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, is the study of Earth's land surface, atmosphere and oceans emphasizing scientific excellence as well as community outreach, education, and information technology. Northrop Grumman will assist in designing, developing and fielding scientific instruments as well as provide test support of the instrument technology development.

Northrop Grumman executives serve on several UMBC boards and advisory councils, including the College of Engineering's Industrial Advisory Board and the President's Advisory Council for Business Outreach.

UMBC'S Division of Professional Education and Training has delivered extensive customized and standard courses to Northrop Grumman ES3 professionals since 1996.

For example, UMBC and Northrop Grumman have partnered with Blueprint Technologies, of McLean, Va., to create the Object Technologies Academy, a program designed to keep highly specialized engineers at Northrop Grumman current on the latest technological trends in software engineering and development. UMBC serves as project manager and provides guidance on the curriculum design and delivery for Northrop Grumman's software engineers, while Blueprint provides industry experience and courseware.

The UMBC/Northrop Grumman ES3 Rapid Response Program has provided Northrop Grumman professionals with access to UMBC students and faculty for short-term technical tasks and problems since 1998.

Northrop Grumman's ES3 is a leading designer, systems integrator and manufacturer of defense electronics and systems, airspace management systems, marine systems, precision weapons, space systems, logistics systems, and automation and information systems.

As Baltimore's public research university, UMBC produces nearly 40 percent of Maryland's bachelor's degree recipients in computer science and information systems and leads all public research universities nationally in the production of bachelor's degrees in these fields. Recognized as a leader in information technology degree production, UMBC has developed strong ties with industry in the Baltimore region and beyond.

Members of the news media may receive our releases via e-mail by registering at: http://www.northgrum.com/cgi-bin/regist_form.cgi

LEARN MORE ABOUT US: Northrop Grumman news releases, product information, photos and video clips are available on the Internet at: http://www.northgrum.com. Information specific to the Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector is available at: http://sensor.northgrum.com.

CONTACT:
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Debbi McCallam
(410) 765-1521

UMBC
Chip Rose
(410) 455-5793