Catalyzing Economic Development through Research and Innovation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense...." With an annual budget of about $7 billion (FY 2012), NSF is the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and universities. In many fields such as mathematics, computer science and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of federal backing.
Many of the discoveries and technological advances supported by NSF have been truly revolutionary. This overview will highlight NSF's role in supporting and promoting fundamental research that is critical to discovery, innovation, and economic growth of the nation. In addition, funding opportunities intended to specifically support the nation's innovation engine by advancing knowledge-based economic development will be presented and discussed.
The Community College Role in STEM Education
Understanding the role of the Community College in the STEM education effort allows other members in the proverbial pipeline to organize their efforts accordingly. A summary view of what Community Colleges are doing and attempting to do reveals how they approach their role and how their pipeline partners are responding. Northeast State Community College has responded in kind and is leveraging against its strengths to address the glaring, contemporary issue of STEM workforce deficits.
Philanthropy: Our Responsibility for Building Community
Andrew Carnegie's belief was that we should return our money to the community that helped and prepared us to make it. A belief in this philosophy, while critical to building sustainable communities, begs the question of how we determine the greatest need, and match that need to our interests and talents. The next question is: How do we energize the members of our community to join us, see the possibilities, and not be defeated by perceived inadequacies? How do we capitalize on the talents and resources of our community rather than focusing on what we don't have? The motto of the Niswonger Foundation, "Learn, Earn and Return," will be presented as one model for expressing the importance of creating a sustainable vision for improving Northeast Tennessee. The goal of sharing this model for philanthropy is to encourage attendees to consider how their interests and resources might best address other needs in our community. This presentation will draw attention to our responsibility to support planned, systematic, focused, and sustainable change in our community through philanthropy.
Research, Service and Partnership -- How Universities Promote Economic Development
The highly competitive, global nature of our economy and the often limited product lifespan has increased the importance of innovation - "the transfer of knowledge into money". In this knowledge based economy, universities play a major role in supporting and promoting economic development in their regional and state economies by: advancing innovation (new technology and products); knowledge transfer to the private sector; providing an educated population (workforce); assessing market opportunities; providing a source of professional and management services; and partnering with business and political leaders and economic development agencies to identify priorities for growth of the region. Universities advance the process of innovation by conducting both basic and applied research, funded primarily by federal agencies. However, university-industry collaborations have provided an important new source of funds and opportunities for partnerships, as well as a clear pathway for commercialization of new innovations. These collaborations and partnerships are influenced by other factors, including: the need of industry for highly educated employees, the interest of faculty in searching for entrepreneurial opportunities and the ever increasing importance of multidisciplinary research in the development of new technologies.
Education: The Foundation for Tomorrow's Economic Success
An educated workforce is essential to economic prosperity and global competitiveness. But just what does it mean to be "educated"? Based upon recent statements from government leaders, including the President of the United States, the result of an education is evidenced by the ability to secure a good paying job immediately after graduation. Such an expectation suggests that colleges and universities need to be training individuals for high-paying careers and, perhaps, little else. While such an outcome may have positive short-run effects on economic prosperity, there are equally negative long-run effects that should be considered before we overhaul the American system of higher education.
Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century through Innovative Partnerships
In today's world, it is imperative that we leverage and effectively manage resources in order to build stronger connections between education, business and industry, and workforce development efforts. The Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM) is an educational public-private partnership that has demonstrated tremendous success. The RCAM aligns public and private investments in education and workforce development with business needs and through a shared leadership model, can quickly respond to industry training needs. An integrated manufacturing curriculum that is discipline focused and skills concentrated has been developed. The RCAM not only helps prepare students for advanced manufacturing careers, it also strengthens the competitiveness and appeal of Northeast Tennessee to local and global manufacturing companies. The presentation will highlight how the Center has enabled education and business development programs to increase the productivity and competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.
The State's Support of Regional Economic Development Strategies
We will discuss the promotion of our region in a unified strategy that combines the attributes within the area, and is designed to supplement and strengthen the efforts of local economic development agencies and regional organizations. We will examine the past results of our efforts, our action plan going forward, and the importance of partnering with our communities and stakeholders. All of these actions are designed on a shared vision of enhanced education, quality of life, community preparedness, and a regional commitment to realize our full potential as a vital, sustainable network of rural and urban communities.