A state-of-the-art computer laboratory is being established at UC Davis through an unusual cooperative effort between the political science department and Sun Microsystems. The aim, say participants, is to dramatically enhance teaching and research through the innovative use of electronic technology. "Sun Microsystems selected UC Davis as the newest site for a Sun Technology and Research Excellence Center because of the department's multimedia approach to teaching and research," says Larry Berman, department chair and professor of political science at UC Davis. "There are only seven centers in the world, Harvard University and MIT being the only other American universities to have one." Sun's donation of approximately $500,000 in equipment, training and support will allow the political science department lab to open operations with 25 multimedia work stations and Internet servers. Work stations will support visual computing, video and high-quality video compression. "Unlike personal computers, which were built to enhance individual productivity, these workstations incorporate networking into its design core to allow groups of people to collaborate, thereby improving productivity," Berman says.