KGI Selected to Administer PSM Affiliation Process CLAREMONT, Calif., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) has been selected by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to administer the Professional Science Master's (PSM) Affiliation process, an integral part of establishing and maintaining high quality standards for PSM programs across the country. "KGI is honored to be selected and we look forward to providing leadership for this important degree program, which we consider an essential component in the U.S. innovation agenda," says KGI President Sheldon Schuster. KGI, founded in 1997, launched the PSM as its flagship program in a pioneering approach to educating technically-proficient industry leaders of the future. Since its inception, the PSM has been adopted by the graduate education community nationwide in an effort to produce the kinds of science and engineering professionals needed to keep the United States globally competitive. The Sloan Foundation has funded the startup phase of many of these programs and has worked with the Council of Graduate Schools to institutionalize and promote the PSM degree. Based on the CGS-Sloan efforts, a robust system of managing the PSM affiliation process and a PSM-specific website have been developed. With maturity of these initiatives, the CGS-Sloan team is transitioning advocacy and administrative responsibilities to KGI. The transfer is expected to be completed by July, 2012. "CGS is delighted to be able to transfer administration of the PSM Affiliation process to an outstanding institution like KGI," said Debra W. Stewart, CGS President. "KGI and its innovative set of graduate programs embody the PSM model of education," added Paul Joskow, President of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Building on the good work of CGS and our other partners in this process will ensure that PSM degrees continue to grow in stature and visibility. The goal is to educate highly-skilled professionals who combine strong backgrounds in science, mathematics, and engineering with expertise in business fundamentals such as financial and project management, communication, and business ethics. "We are very pleased to assume this responsibility and believe that we can add substantial value in building awareness, reputation, and corporate sponsorships for the PSM movement," says James D. Sterling, PhD, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty. Educating the future leaders of the bioscience industry, Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) offers an interdisciplinary graduate education through its Master of Bioscience (MBS) and Postdoctoral Professional Master's (PPM) degree programs and its PhD program in Applied Life Sciences. Using team-based learning and real-world projects, KGI's innovative curriculum seamlessly combines applied life sciences, bioengineering, bioethics, and business management. KGI also has a robust research program concentrating on the translation of basic discoveries in the life sciences into applications that can benefit society. KGI is a member of The Claremont Colleges, located in Claremont, California. Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences is dedicated to education and research aimed at translating into practice, for the benefit of society, the power and potential of the life sciences. SOURCE Keck Graduate Institute