Pius Egbelu, professor and chairman of industrial engineering, is coordinating a national project that helps engineers in South Africa and the United States collaborate on their work.

The program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation brings together manufacturers, researchers and educators in the United States and South Africa to pool their resources in research and development, Egbelu said.

“If one company tries to do the research on its own, it would be very expensive,” he said.

He said the project will allow students in the United States to acquire overseas work experience and will help South Africans gain knowledge and enhance their workforce.

Egbelu said he envisioned cooperation with South Africa when apartheid ended in 1990. Up until that point, sanctions against South Africa prohibited such collaboration.

“The program is intended to be a catalyst to lead to the creation of these relationships,” Egbelu said.

Egbelu recently coordinated two workshops to bring engineers from the two countries together. He said companies such as Ford and General Motors attended, as well as companies in South Africa and faculty members sponsored by various companies.

Each of the participating countries is responsible for its own financial backing, Egbelu said.

“No money crosses international borders,” he said.

The project provides students in any engineering discipline the opportunity to participate in an exchange with various universities in South Africa.

All expenses are covered, including round-trip airfare, living expenses and a monthly stipend of $1,000, Egbelu said.

He said any student interested in the program is welcome to participate.

“All they need to do is show up,” he said.

For more information, e-mail [email protected], PatriciaTsuchitani at the National Science Foundation.