University of Akron President Luis M. Proenza participated in a recent national discussion on the important role universities play in research, economic development and job creation.
See also:
From Inside Higher Ed, a post-forum report: "The Need to 'Do Even More'"
From The Chronicle of Higher Education: "Forum Highlights Ways to Tune Up Universities as Engines of Economic Development"
Proenza was invited personally by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, who hosted the forum, “Catalyzing University Research for a Stronger Economy” in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 24.
At the forum, Proenza joined members of President Obama’s administration and other higher education leaders in a dialogue about President Obama’s “national innovation strategy,” which is designed to promote sustainable growth and the creation of quality jobs. To do this, one of Obama’s key strategies is to increase support for research at American universities, Locke says.
“I am pleased and honored to have been asked by Secretary Locke to participate in such timely discussion about the impact America’s universities have on research commercialization and job creation,” Proenza said before departing for the capital. “I have long advocated that universities should be at the hub of regional industry clusters, such as what we have done in polymers and now in biomedicine. In such a role, universities can be important regional economic drivers, leading to job creation and other far-reaching benefits.”
Forum participants
Other participants in the Washington forum included:
Molly Broad, President, American Council on Education
Robert Berdahl, President, Association of American Universities
Michael Cassidy, President & CEO, Georgia Research Alliance
Jean-Lou Chameau, President, California Institute of Technology
Frank Douglas, President & CEO, Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron
John Hennessy, President, Stanford University
John Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, White House
David Korn, Vice Provost for Research, Harvard University
Peter McPherson, President, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
Tom Peterson, Assistant Director for Engineering, National Science Foundation
Joining Proenza at the forum was Dr. Frank Douglas, president and CEO of the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron. The institute strives to be a model for biomedical discovery and enterprise. The five operating founders of the institute are:
- UA;
- Akron Children’s Hospital;
- Akron General Health System;
- Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy; and
- Summa Health System.
Forum seeks to enhance competitiveness
According to Locke, the forum was the beginning of an important dialogue among Obama Administration officials and key stakeholders on the effectiveness of current government and university policies, programs and practices that impact job creation and research commercialization. In particular, the assembled group will discuss collaborative steps that the Obama administration can take while working with universities and other stakeholders to strengthen the country’s competitiveness through innovation-driven economic growth.
“Innovation is critical to U.S. economic growth and competitiveness, and we must do everything in our power to optimize the economic impact of our nation’s research investments,” Locke said.
In addition to participating in this forum, Proenza is a member of several national advisory boards and foundations that focus on the development of high level government, academia and industry cooperation and partnerships on issues of national importance. Most recently, he was named to the National Academies' Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable (GUIRR) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Technology Innovation Program (TIP) Advisory Board. Proenza also serves on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness and until 2008, served on the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
Proenza is now in his second decade as president and chief executive of The University of Akron. Under his leadership, enrollment, research funding and fund-raising have increased, and UA’s campus has been transformed under the New Landscape for Learning Initiative, a decade-long campaign that has led to 16 new buildings, 17 major additions or renovations and 34 acres of new green space.
Media contact: Laura M. Massie, 330-972-6476 or massie1@uakron.edu