The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is one of seven universities in the Southeastern United States taking part in a new alliance aimed at expanding resources available for the regional automotive industry.

The Automotive Research Alliance also includes the National Transportation Research Center , Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Tennessee Valley Authority as well as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi State. The announcement of the alliance is expected to be made in Nashville today.

According to a press release, the alliance will provide a wide range of research resources, including technology and manufacturing assistance as well as academic and training programs.

The Knoxville News Sentinel is following the story and promises to have additional information as it develops throughout the day with a full report in their paper tomorrow. We’ll keep track of it and pass it (and the links) along to you.