FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media contact for more information:

Mary Trier, [email protected], (407) 620-3357

Orlando, Fla., and Washington, DC. SIMETRI, Inc., president and CEO, Angela Albán, was called to testify before the House Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce of the Committee on Small Business and the Subcommittee on Research and Technology of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The topic of her testimony is “Improving the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs.”

Albán’s company is a small, woman and minority-owned business headquartered in Orlando, Fla. Through the science of medical research, together with the application of art, SIMETRI creates highly realistic human forms and training simulators that the military and commercial sector uses for immersive medical training. By using state-of-the-art special effects techniques, along with innovative engineering processes and procedures, the company delivers products and simulations that have the look and feel of real, which enhances the delivery of effective training to medics, first responders, and healthcare professionals.

Albán grew her company using, primarily, government research programs such as the Small Business Innovative Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs. In her testimony, Albán highlights how these programs have helped her succeed. She credits the Orlando office of U.S. Army Research Laboratory Human Research and Engineering Directorate Advanced Training & Simulation Division (ARL-HRED ATSD) for its outreach to small engineering firms such as hers.

“The close collaboration between SIMETRI and its government customer may be one of the largest contributing factors to the success of a small business,” stated Albán. “Access to the government researcher is paramount, and I would encourage all government research organizations to consider a strong outreach program and partnership with its small businesses.”

She went on to address how access to the government personnel could impact timely and relevant deliveries of technology solutions, indicating that feedback is a vital part of the research and development process.

Albán also highlighted, in her testimony, the strong programs in Central Florida that partner with small business to incubate and grow companies and jobs. She mentioned the University of Central Florida incubator, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, the GrowFL economic gardening program, the National Center for Simulation, and other government organizations such as the Naval Air Warfare Center-Training Systems Division, and she also commented on the value of strong industry partnerships.

Testimony is scheduled for Thursday, May 4, 2017, from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm in the Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2318 in Washington, DC.

Live YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRh92qfibdM

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