Ford Motor Company often works in partnership with universities. For example, Ford has given two University Research Program grants (URPs) to researchers at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Each URP grant of $40,000 per year for one to three years funds one graduate student working on an issue of interest to Ford. One of the grants given to Virginia Tech in 2005, 2006 and 2007 is aimed at better characterizing the material properties of human ribs. Knowledge of these properties will help Ford improve its computer model of the full human body. Ford developed this model over the past 10 years and currently uses it to help answer research questions in automotive safety. The second URP grant, given to Virginia Tech in 2007, will enable Virginia Tech and Ford researchers to develop a better understanding of the properties of maternal tissues from pregnant women. These properties will enable the improvement of computer models of pregnant women previously independently developed by Virginia Tech and Volvo. These models may help in understanding the injury risk to pregnant women and their fetuses.
