UConn Breaks Ground for New Technology Park

[jostar1]

The University of Connecticut broke ground for its new Technology Park Wednesday, marking a new era of public-private research partnership at UConn that is intended to drive Connecticut innovation and competitiveness in the state, region, and beyond.

This anchor building will offer large, flexible laboratories and highly-specialized equipment not readily available to industry. Teams of world-class academic researchers, private industry scientists, and business entrepreneurs will work collaboratively within the facility to develop innovative new technologies in energy, electronics, materials science, additive manufacturing, microscopy, cybersecurity, and other fields.

Industry partners supporting the Tech Park initiative have committed more than $60 million in funding for advanced research partnerships at UConn. Those companies include FEI, United Technologies, Pratt & Whitney, Eversource Energy, GE, Comcast, and Fraunhofer USA.

One of the top public universities in the country, UConn has seen research grants double in recent years and currently manages $250 million in research activity around the state. The Tech Park is expected to strengthen that base by attracting more world-class researchers, encouraging new business growth through technology commercialization, creating high-paying jobs, and drawing on the University’s strong industry partnerships to leverage millions of new dollars in federal and private research funding.

http://today.uconn.edu/2015/10/uconn-breaks-ground-for-new-technology-park/

 

[gioff23]

Another BIG move under Herbst

 

[huskypantz]

Is the opening going to result in a big jump in research dollars? I know some folks have noted that research money has dried up in the past couple of years. How much credit do we get for the research ventures at the park?

 

[CL82]

I'm looking forward to seeing how the new entrance looks. I think there is going to be a very concerted effort to make an impression. It's a little thing, but little things matter.

I'm very excited to see where this goes. It is huge for the university and I suspect it will become a model for other universities looking to expand their research.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

I wouldn't mind having just the shovel concession at the ground breaking ceremony.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I'm looking forward to seeing how the new entrance looks. I think there is going to be a very concerted effort to make an impression. It's a little thing, but little things matter.

So true, I remember my first trip to UConn my freshman year in high school to play in the state soccer championship. I remember coming off I-84 and then going through a lot of farm land, then seeing a Ace Hardware store and then just slam, a college campus. Its like it came out of nowhere and made the campus feel isolated and remote.

 

[NYUConn]

So true, I remember my first trip to UConn my freshman year in high school to play in the state soccer championship. I remember coming off I-84 and then going through a lot of farm land, then seeing a Ace Hardware store and then just slam, a college campus. Its like it came out of nowhere and made the campus feel isolated and remote.

The Ace is still there and will always have a special place in my heart as it's where I bought the supplies for my first beer funnel at 18.

 

[upstater]

Is the opening going to result in a big jump in research dollars? I know some folks have noted that research money has dried up in the past couple of years. How much credit do we get for the research ventures at the park?

$0

Company R&D is not calculated at all when it comes to the AAU, so any public partnerships would not count. I'm sure U. Albany with its $15 billion in such partnerships would love it if the AAU did count such things.

What will count for UConn is the hiring of professors who pull down research grants from the foundations. A few years ago there was talk of UConn being aggressive in finding those people.

Right now is the optimal time to strike as people at places like Rutgers and U. Wisconsin are looking to abandon the ship in droves because of mismanagement.

 

[CL82]

$0

Company R&D is not calculated at all when it comes to the AAU, so any public partnerships would not count. I'm sure U. Albany with its $15 billion in such partnerships would love it if the AAU did count such things.

What will count for UConn is the hiring of professors who pull down research grants from the foundations. A few years ago there was talk of UConn being aggressive in finding those people.

Right now is the optimal time to strike as people at places like Rutgers and U. Wisconsin are looking to abandon the ship in droves because of mismanagement.

So with research dollars shrinking do these kinds of public/private ventures become the new paradigm? I have to believe that the state's investment to kick start all of this is noteworthy.

 

[Kolumbo]

So true, I remember my first trip to UConn my freshman year in high school to play in the state soccer championship. I remember coming off I-84 and then going through a lot of farm land, then seeing a Ace Hardware store and then just slam, a college campus. Its like it came out of nowhere and made the campus feel isolated and remote.

I actually appreciated the isolated and remote feel. Except at meal time on weekends when it was either kraft mac and cheese, pizza, or if we were lucky, catch a ride to McD's in Willimantic. That was many moons ago.
I think these are some renderings:

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I actually appreciated the isolated and remote feel. Except at meal time on weekends when it was either kraft mac and cheese, pizza, or if we were lucky, catch a ride to McD's in Willimantic. That was many moons ago.
I think these are some renderings:

I can understand as its just a preference. I did not want a city experience at the time; but, after spending time in Ithaca NY, East Lansing MI, Ann Arbor MI, State College PA, Durham NH, Burlington VT, etc., its nice to have a small town attached to the university to provide food, drink, shopping, cultural, etc. alternatives to what is on campus. I am hopeful that Storrs Center can provide some of this.

 

[upstater]

So with research dollars shrinking do these kinds of public/private ventures become the new paradigm? I have to believe that the state's investment to kick start all of this is noteworthy.

It is a paradigm everywhere BUT since the AAU is a lobbying entity to increase funding for the national foundations (which is quite apart from state appropriations) then the question of AAU memberships and these partnerships is moot. The AAU would seem to have very little ground there. Each school would be responsible for lobbying its own state legislature. AND, the AAU would certainly not bang its head against the wall lobbying, for instance, Scott Walker's BOT in Wisconsin.

 

[CL82]

It is a paradigm everywhere BUT since the AAU is a lobbying entity to increase funding for the national foundations (which is quite apart from state appropriations) then the question of AAU memberships and these partnerships is moot. The AAU would seem to have very little ground there. Each school would be responsible for lobbying its own state legislature. AND, the AAU would certainly not bang its head against the wall lobbying, for instance, Scott Walker's BOT in Wisconsin.

Correct me if I'm overstating this, or misinterpreting you, but it seems like you are saying that the state investment is likely to be the next engine driving research rather than federal dollars, but since the AAU is a federal lobbying group, it really doesn't care.

 

[upstater]

Correct me if I'm overstating this, or misinterpreting you, but it seems like you are saying that the state investment is likely to be the next engine driving research rather than federal dollars, but since the AAU is a federal lobbying group, it really doesn't care.

I don't know if it's the next engine at all. In some states, it appears to be. New York. Connecticut. At the same time, these two states are slashing the budget subsidies to these universities (which explains the explosion in tuition). So... I wouldn't call it state investment, precisely, but moving money from one place to another. Compared to other states (Wisconsin, for example, or Arizona [which is an absolute bloodbath] or Louisiana [the state seems totally out of the business of Higher Ed. now; maybe Tulane should merge with LSU]) Connecticut is charging ahead.

As for the last bit about AAU, you got it. It is a federal lobbying entity, and it simply can't become involved in state politics because states tend to have very different conceptions about university structures (for instance, in New York, the downstate CUNYs are always pitted against the 4 SUNY centers, and they are pitted against the SUNY regionals).

 

[ScottBonz]

http://www.courant.com/real-estate/property-line/hc-uconn-tech-park-eversource-20151014-story.html

Eversource with 9 million.

 

[Stinger92860]

So true, I remember my first trip to UConn my freshman year in high school to play in the state soccer championship. I remember coming off I-84 and then going through a lot of farm land, then seeing a Ace Hardware store and then just slam, a college campus. Its like it came out of nowhere and made the campus feel isolated and remote.

ACE hardware saved my butt. Broken door key snapped in half. They made me a working key with the 2 halves. That's talent!

 

[Nostical]

ACE hardware saved my butt. Broken door key snapped in half. They made me a working key with the 2 halves. That's talent!

I'm not surprised. I heard that Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man.

 

[ruthetiger]

$0

Company R&D is not calculated at all when it comes to the AAU, so any public partnerships would not count. I'm sure U. Albany with its $15 billion in such partnerships would love it if the AAU did count such things.

What will count for UConn is the hiring of professors who pull down research grants from the foundations. A few years ago there was talk of UConn being aggressive in finding those people.

Right now is the optimal time to strike as people at places like Rutgers and U. Wisconsin are looking to abandon the ship in droves because of mismanagement.

Out of curiosity, but how are these staff members, from RU and wiscy jumping ship? RU is just adding to the engineering dept in the form of aerospace and aeronautical. If anything it may add to more research dollars in technology, and increase funding for their own tech park.

 

[upstater]

Out of curiosity, but how are these staff members, from RU and wiscy jumping ship? RU is just adding to the engineering dept in the form of aerospace and aeronautical. If anything it may add to more research dollars in technology, and increase funding for their own tech park.

You think it's a secret that the year's of budget cuts and salary freezes are Rutgers have resulted in faculty leaving for greener pastures (while their lines are not replaced?) It's not. You even had a highly public faculty revolt against Barchi within the last 12 months on these issues.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/12/opinion/joe-nocera-at-rutgers-its-books-vs-ballgames.html?_r=0

Mark Killingsworth, a Rutgers economics professor, “We have been told that we can hire one person for every two who leave.”

As for Wisconsin, have you really missed what has gone on there? http://dissentandcookies.org/2015/06/08/189/

 

[huskymedic]

The University of Connecticut broke ground for its new Technology Park Wednesday, marking a new era of public-private research partnership at UConn that is intended to drive Connecticut innovation and competitiveness in the state, region, and beyond.

This anchor building will offer large, flexible laboratories and highly-specialized equipment not readily available to industry. Teams of world-class academic researchers, private industry scientists, and business entrepreneurs will work collaboratively within the facility to develop innovative new technologies in energy, electronics, materials science, additive manufacturing, microscopy, cybersecurity, and other fields.

Industry partners supporting the Tech Park initiative have committed more than $60 million in funding for advanced research partnerships at UConn. Those companies include FEI, United Technologies, Pratt & Whitney, Eversource Energy, GE, Comcast, and Fraunhofer USA.

One of the top public universities in the country, UConn has seen research grants double in recent years and currently manages $250 million in research activity around the state. The Tech Park is expected to strengthen that base by attracting more world-class researchers, encouraging new business growth through technology commercialization, creating high-paying jobs, and drawing on the University’s strong industry partnerships to leverage millions of new dollars in federal and private research funding.

UConn Breaks Ground for New Technology Park - UConn Today

Innovation Partnership Building Marks Construction Milestone - UConn Today

 

[HuskyHawk]

I can understand as its just a preference. I did not want a city experience at the time; but, after spending time in Ithaca NY, East Lansing MI, Ann Arbor MI, State College PA, Durham NH, Burlington VT, etc., its nice to have a small town attached to the university to provide food, drink, shopping, cultural, etc. alternatives to what is on campus. I am hopeful that Storrs Center can provide some of this.

Agreed. I loved Storrs, but by the time I got to law school in Lawrence, KS, I was ready for a more complete college town. Live music at several venues all week long and especially on weekends, and more than a dozen bars.

The weekend food for us in the late 80's was Ramen, Teds grinders, Gumby's or other delivery Pizza, or cheap Wawa hot dogs. Less than ideal. If we had someone with wheels, Chucks/Margaritaville, Willington Pizza and other options opened up.

 

[Exit 4]

I hope the park includes investing in "CRA technologies and research."