This award is to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth to support the activity described below for 24 months. The proposal was submitted in response to the Partnerships for Innovation Program Solicitation (NSF-03521).
Partners The partners include the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (Lead Institution), Massachusetts Office of Environmental Affairs Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, plus 27 regional companies. At least 10 of these companies have agreed to commit $50,000 each to the project. More are being recruited.
The objectives for the project include: 1. Create a business-like environment where products, processes, and systems are developed by university faculty, students, and professional staff for individual private sector partners to commercialize. 2. Make the university-developed technology available and affordable to a broader sector of the regional economy, especial small to medium sized companies. 3. Enhance the economic development of the region by serving the industry by providing technology and a workforce to exploit it. 4. Provide a learning environment for students to supplement their classroom education with experiences in the business world. 5. Integrate research, education and innovation to provide economic development and service to the community via the partnership. 6. Disseminate the model and the experience to other institutions of higher learning.
Potential Economic Impact This region of Massachusetts has been left behind in technology-based economic growth. Southeast Massachusetts was once one of the most prosperous regions in the nation due to whaling and textile industries. The region has been suffering economic hardship as both industries have left the area. Today, the economic strength of the region lags behind the rest of the United States, and the employment in high technology industry. The region has begun to change that situation. Electronics, environment, biomedicine, telecommunications, intelligent materials, and fibers are being inserted into the industrial base in the region. This proposed effort provides a university-lead partnership with government and industry to facilitate technology transfer, technology support, and a technologically literate workforce.
The intellectual merit of the activity lies in a significant number of innovative technologies developed and commercialized into products, processes, systems and services, and the workforce needed to enable these innovations.
This proposal is excellent in terms of Broader Impacts. The project will educate professionals and provide employment opportunities for a diverse group of underrepresented groups in the region. The technology-based economic well-being that will result in the region will serve as a model for other regions that have experienced similar economic downturn from departing industries.
