News release

Enhanced Compaq and UT Austin Cooperative Effort Underscores Importance of University-based Research

Compaq Powers UT Austin Computer Science Doctoral Research

Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ) and The University of Texas at Austin Department of Computer Sciences (UTCS) are enhancing their continuing research and education partnership, placing 100 Compaq systems on the desks of graduate students conducting active research projects.

This announcement follows the ongoing cooperative research relationship between Compaq and The University of Texas at Austin Center for Computational Visualization (CCV) in advanced visualization techniques using high-performance computers and complex display equipment. The advanced visualization research effort required an enormous amount of computing power, very large amounts of storage, rapid access through high-speed networks, and adroit use of parallel computers.

"This additional opportunity to strengthen our cooperative research relationship with UT Austin underscores Compaq's commitment to helping students achieve excellence in education," said Jim Weynand, vice president of Government & Education Markets. "Through the kind of advanced research that UTCS is involved in, new solutions will emerge for industries such as biochemistry, manufacturing, finance, and architecture. Compaq is glad to be a part of bringing these innovative solutions to market by partnering with UTCS in their advanced research projects."

Technology Enhancing Research

Each of the 100 advanced Compaq desktop systems will be assigned to a specific graduate student active in research—primarily doctoral students—located in the campus' ACES building and Taylor Hall, which houses various research groups. Areas of research for these groups include such advanced areas as theory, formal methods, artificial intelligence, architecture, graphics and visualization, real-time systems, networks, and software systems engineering.

"This contribution comes at a critical time for the department," explained Dr. J. Strother Moore, UTCS department chair. "We have some of the finest graduate researchers in the world working on projects with far-reaching impact. They deserve the best tools available, and we are very grateful to Compaq for helping us provide them. This effort accentuates Compaq's commitment to our department and to computer science research."

UTCS, hosting 262 doctoral and graduate students for the current spring semester, is ranked seventh among the nation's computer sciences departments and is recognized by US News and World Report and the National Research Council as being among the top ten in the country. "Our doctoral students are highly recruited by peer institutions," added Dr. Moore, who holds the Admiral B.R. Inman Centennial Chair in Computing Theory at UTCS. "Having leading-edge technology for our graduate students to use during their research while candidates for a Ph.D. in Computer Sciences is a tremendous asset in attracting the best to the university and Texas."

Company Background

Founded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation is a leading global provider of information technology products, services and solutions for enterprise customers. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures and markets information technology equipment, software, services and solutions, including industry-leading enterprise storage and computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, communication products, personal desktop and notebook computers, and personal entertainment and Internet access devices that are sold in more than 200 countries directly and through a network of authorized Compaq marketing partners. Information on Compaq and its products and services is available at http://www.compaq.com.