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Perspective Georgia Tech research will help shape the 21st century's megatrends. By Jane M. Sanders |
The Georgia Institute of Technology was founded in 1888 upon the idea that education and research would invigorate the region's economy. Through the years, that idea has not only become a reality, it has exceeded expectations.
"Today, we have taken that idea to a new level by serving as a source of innovation and economic development not only for Georgia, but also for the nation," says President Wayne Clough.
Evidence arrived recently of success in Tech's service mission. A Southern Technology Council national survey ranked the institution as the number one academic player in economic development and university/industry technology transfer.
Georgia's leaders also view Tech as a catalyst for economic development. For example, Tech is playing a vital role in the Yamacraw Mission, a major statewide initiative to position Georgia as a world leader in high-technology industries. Over the next five to seven years, Yamacraw is expected to create several thousand new jobs in the lucrative fields of software engineering and electronic design. Many of those jobs will be filled by computer scientists and engineers trained at Tech.
Meanwhile, the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), launched in 1980 and based at Georgia Tech, continues to incubate early-stage technology companies. In 1999, ATDC member companies attracted $130 million in investments from mergers, acquisitions, venture capital and other sources.
Also, engineers at the Georgia Tech Economic Development Institute counsel existing Georgia companies on productivity enhancement, quality control, cost reduction and new technology implementation.
Still at the heart of all this activity is "the basic philosophical principle that research is the precursor to discovery, and university research is the intellectual driver for the economic growth of this country," says Dr. Charles Liotta, vice provost for research.
It cannot go without noting that research volume at Georgia Tech reached its fifth consecutive all-time high of $280 million in fiscal year 1999 expenditures.
As you read this and all issues of Research Horizons magazine, we hope you make these connections between education, research and economic development. In this issue, they are evident in the stories of Digital Furnace, RF Solutions and even our special section on materials science and engineering research.
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