Agilent Technologies Foundation Awards $1.7 Million to Fund Wide Range of Collaborative Efforts

From Rural India to Silicon Valley, Grants Support Innovative Programs in Science Education and University Research

SANTA CLARA, Calif., The Agilent Technologies Foundation today announced $1.7 million in new grants for the first half of its fiscal year 2009. A global group of organizations, ranging from Agastya International Foundation, an India-based leader in creativity-based education, to the National Science Teachers Association, the world’s largest science teachers’ organization, received funding from the Foundation. In addition, 30 university grants were made to support science and technology research at the forefront of bio-analysis technologies and electronic measurement.

Funding highlights include:

* Agastya International Foundation, a public charitable trust and leader in creativity-based education in rural India, provides children and teachers access to quality hands-on basic education. Agilent Foundation funds are supporting two programs -- a mobile lab and science and ecology center that travels to rural areas with no schools to provide science education to children who would otherwise have no access to it, and a program that offers training to 20 female engineering/biology students in environmental testing to be used to improve the quality of life in rural villages.
* National Science Teachers Association is the world’s largest science teachers’ organization dedicated to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching. Foundation funds will support ten Fellows in Agilent’s strategic U.S. regions of California, Colorado and Delaware as part of a year-long program designed to help reduce the high attrition rate among new science teachers. Fellows receive mentoring, professional development and financial support to participate in NSTA’s 2009 National Conference.
* Clean Air Challenge (CAC), an environmental curriculum that supports and expands teacher instruction in China, India and the U.S. The Agilent Foundation, in partnership with California’s Clean Air Now, has funded the development of instructional materials, lab supplies and workshops to further implement the CAC curriculum. Agilent and the Foundation have provided CAC support since 2004.

University Grant highlights include:

* research into natural compounds used in the development of Traditional Chinese Medicine;
* an innovative diagnostic approach using glycomics analysis as a new paradigm for disease discovery;
* development of open source modules applications that will speed the processing of network data;
* research into the use of terrestrial digital television signal for applicability to the timing, positioning and navigation fields; and
* use of microRNA analysis to detect high risk prostate cancers.

Additional information about the Agilent Technologies Foundation can be found at www.agilent.com/contributions/foundation.shtml.

About the Agilent Technologies Foundation

The Agilent Technologies Foundation focuses on advancing pre-university science education around the world by creating and supporting strategic initiatives linked to change and improvement in student learning and engagement. It also funds university research at the frontiers of measurement in electronics, chemical and bio sciences.

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world’s premier measurement company and a technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company’s 20,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $5.8 billion in fiscal 2008. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.