Wabtec and Penn State Announce a Strategic Partnership

PITTSBURGH Sept. 29, 2020 - Penn State and Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) announced today a new, strategic partnership encompassing energy management, battery technology and machine learning research, as well as professional and talent development. The partnership builds upon years of collaboration between the University and the company that span multiple business units, colleges, campuses, and administrations, and unites them under one strategic vision for corporate engagement.

“Wabtec brings an enormous history of innovation and ingenuity to the table, enabling exciting new avenues for research and collaboration together,” said Penn State Senior Vice President for Research Lora Weiss. “With the power of industry partners like Wabtec, Penn State students, faculty, and staff not only reap the benefits of hands-on opportunities, we have an opportunity to continue to strengthen our core mission: teaching and learning beyond our walls and contributing the knowledge and understanding that improves Pennsylvania and the world.”

For the past 150 years, Wabtec has established itself as a global leader in the transportation industry, paving the way in safety, reliability, and efficiency across the freight and passenger transit industry. The company has a strong history of collaboration with the University and other successful partners to accelerate the future of sustainable transportation.

“This strategic alliance continues our long-standing relationship with Penn State and affords us access to a world-class research institution with all of the resources to bring new innovations to the market,” said Wabtec’s Vice President of Engineering Alan Hamilton. “The partnership will result in exciting opportunities for both our employees and Penn Staters. Our collaboration also will benefit the communities that Wabtec and Penn State call home.”

In recent years, Wabtec and Penn State have partnered on several strategic endeavors including recruiting efforts and research with the College of Engineering on the optimization and management of energy storage systems. Wabtec also partnered with Penn State Behrend for the last eight years across Western Pennsylvania to create a week-long science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) camp. The free program, which engages middle school girls, is focused on encouraging a lifelong interest in subjects ranging from robotics, electronic circuits, and chemistry to energy management and more. Since its inception, more than 400 girls have participated in the program.

“The strategic alliance between Wabtec and Penn State is designed to offer both institutions a clear path to collaboration across research, talent development, professional development, and more,” said Melissa Erekson, Assistant Vice President of Corporate Engagement. “It is a win-win relationship and a model for how universities and corporations can successfully work together to solve real-world challenges. In addition, it will expand opportunities for talent development and learning among Penn State students and continuous learning for Wabtec employees through engagement with the Education Alliance Program at World Campus.”

About the Penn State Corporate Engagement Center
The Corporate Engagement Center connects industry partners to strategic opportunities at Penn State for research and development, philanthropy, and talent recruitment. Brought together in 2019, the center serves as a hub for industry/University relationships, supporting companies as they navigate the vast resources of Penn State. The team is here to help build lasting, mutually beneficial relationships.

The Corporate Engagement Center is a joint initiative of the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and the Office of University Development, working in partnership with Career Services. Learn more at corporateengagement.psu.edu.

About Wabtec

Wabtec Corporation is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions and value-added services for freight and transit rail. Drawing on nearly four centuries of collective experience across Wabtec, GE Transportation and Faiveley Transport, the company has unmatched digital expertise, technological innovation, and world-class manufacturing and services, enabling the digital-rail-and-transit ecosystems. Wabtec is focused on performance that drives progress, creating transportation solutions that move and improve the world. The freight portfolio features a comprehensive line of locomotives, software applications and a broad selection of mission-critical controls systems, including Positive Train Control (PTC). The transit portfolio provides highly engineered systems and services to virtually every major rail transit system around the world, supplying an integrated series of components for buses and all train-related market segments that deliver safety, efficiency and passenger comfort. Along with its industry-leading portfolio of products and solutions for the rail and transit industries, Wabtec is a leader in mining, marine and industrial solutions. Wabtec has approximately 27,000 employees in facilities throughout the world. Visit the company’s website at: www.WabtecCorp.com.