The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is a private, nonprofit research and development organization headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. With more than 2,600 employees across eight locations in the United States and Europe, SwRI provides contract research and development services to government and commercial clients worldwide. Founded in 1947 by oilfield service pioneer William J. Little as the Southwestern Research Laboratory, SwRI has grown from its humble beginnings as a three-person operation to become one of the largest independent research organizations in the world.
A leader in scientific and technical innovation for more than 70 years, SwRI’s engineers, scientists and technicians provide advanced technology solutions to solve some of society’s most difficult challenges. Our work covers nearly every area of science and engineering with expertise that spans artificial intelligence (AI), automotive testing and validation, space science and exploration, defense and security, geospatial data analytics, robotics & automation systems integration as well as product development services for commercialization.
In addition to our contract R&D services business model where we take on client projects from concept through completion – often resulting in new products or processes being brought to market – we also have an entrepreneurial spirit that has led us to start up companies based on our own internally developed technologies. These businesses operate independently but benefit from access to our world-class facilities, instrumentation & equipment assets along with the talent pool within our organization.
SwRI was founded by William J. Little in 1947 as the Southwestern Research Laboratory (SRL). Little had previously worked for Schlumberger Limited as a field engineer during World War II where he gained experience developing new ways to measure resistivity for mapping oil deposits underground using electrical methods. After the war ended he decided there was an opportunity to form his own company offering similar resistivity mapping services which would eventually lead him to founding SRL. The original laboratory consisted of just three employees working out of a converted garage office in downtown San Antonio.
During its early years SRL focused on providing Resistivity Surveys for oil exploration companies which helped it grow quickly during the postwar boom in domestic oil production. In 1957 SRL landed its first major government contract with NASA to develop a sounding rocket program which would be used to study aurora borealis activity at high altitudes. This project put SRL on the map nationally and helped it expand its workforce tenfold over the next few years. By 1960 SRL had outgrown its garage office spaceand moved into newly constructed buildings on South St Mary’s Street where it remains today.
In 1963 SRL changed its name to Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) when it became apparent that “research” better described what they did rather than “laboratory” . The 1960s were another period of significant growth for SwRI fueled by increasing demand for their Resistivity Surveys services combined with new contracts from NASA relatedto developing unmanned spacecraft such as Pioneer Venus, Mariner Mars, Ranger Lunar, Surveyor Lunar, Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO), Explorer series, Helios Solar Probe,, ISEE 3/ICE Cometary mission,-, Voyager Interstellar Mission,-, Galileo Jupiter Orbiter,-, Ulysses Solar Polar Mission,-32]. Many other civilian agencies also turnedto SwRI during this time including: National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Aviation Administration(FAA), Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) , Consumer Product Safety Commission(CPSC) . As word spread about SwRIs capabilities more businesses began contracting their services leadingto increased work inthe areasof consumer product safety testing , environmental analysis , transportation safety , aircraft engine certificationand chemical process evaluation & optimization . All told over 1/3of all American households were buying products that had been tested or analyzedby SwRIfor safety by 1970 . -35 Not contentto reston their laurelsSwRItookon several large international projectsduringthe 1970stooincluding:severalGEMINIspacecraftsupportcontracts;workfor NATOrelatedtodeveloping anti-submarine warfare systems;andanalysisoffuelrecoveryoptionsforthe 1976 VikingLandermissiontoMars–thefirstUSto land successfullyon another planet since 1962 . -38 Meanwhilebackonthe homefrontthingswere also progressingwellwith constructionofanewMainBuilding completedin 1971followedbyaChildDevelopmentCenterin 1974and thenthreenewResidence Hallsbetween 1975and 1977as employee numberscontinuedtoclimbfrom around 500in 1960tomorethan 1700by decade’send . ,,,,. Withits strongfoundationfirmlyestablishedduringthe precedingdecadesitwas perhaps inevitablethat 1980swouldseethe beginningoftheswansongfortheworldoilindustrywhichhadbeen so instrumentalindrivingSwRIsgrowthinthe past . Facedwith decliningdemandforresistivitysurveysand plummetingoilprices followingthe OPECembargoof 1973 -74manylong-timeclientsoflaid off staffordecidednottopursueexplorationprojectsatallanymore optinginsteadtocompletethemorecost effectiveprocessof extractingwhatremainedfrom existingwellsand then shuttingthemdownwhen those tooplayedout ….. However whilethis signalledtheendofthetimewhen “Big Oil”could countonreadyand willingcustomersfordrillingequipmentandservicesthe same couldnotbesaidaboutanother industrythatwouldsoonrise totakeitsplace – offshore drillinginthenext century’s race topump ever greaterquantitiesof petroleumfrom beneaththeseabedfarfrom pryingeyesonthelittoralstateswheremost rigsare stillbasedtoday ….