 | ||
 |
 |
 |
|
ARC News
|
||||||
|
ARC Positions College For Expected High Tech Boom Research facility is centerpiece of partnership between Applied Science program and high tech industry
Poul Olson Timothy Sullivan and two other college presidents joined a coalition of civic and business leaders from around the state May 9 in Newport News for the groundbreaking of a high technology research facility. The 121,000-square foot Applied Research Center (ARC) will be located in a proposed 200-acre technology park adjacent to the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Once it is completed in October 1997, the $14-million facility will house applied science researchers from William and Mary, Christopher Newport University, Old Dominion University and TJNAF. ARC will provide researchers much needed laboratory space to assess the results of experiments taking place next door at TJNAF and at the $27-million Free Electron Laser currently under development. The facility will more importantly enable researchers to collaborate closely with industry on a host of new applications likely to arise out of TJNAF and the FEL. William and Mary is leasing 11,000 square feet of the building for its applied science faculty. Roughly half of ARC will be available to industry for collaborative research. College officials share the hope with their academic partners that ARC will not only provide the means for strengthening science programs, but also lay an important cornerstone for their involvement in economic development regionally and statewide. "ARC gives us firm footing on the Jefferson Lab site which we are confident will lead the state in the development of high technology by the next decade," said Stewart Gamage, vice president for community relations and public service. "The success of this facility will lend visibility to our applied science program while demonstrating our ongoing commitment to economic development in the state." Earlier this year, Ted Zoller, director of economic development at William and Mary, coordinated a study of the commercial potential for the proposed technology park. Based partly on current industry interest in TJNAF and the FEL, the study concluded that ARC will play a pivotal role in attracting new high tech business to the Hampton Roads region while providing William and Mary an important physical presence adjacent to TJNAF and the FEL. "Through ARC, industry will have some of the best minds in applied research at their disposal," said Zoller. "The laser research that's going to take place with the FEL will enable our region to become one of the most important centers for research and development parks in the area of advanced materials and lasers." William and Mary's stake in Oyster Point extends beyond ARC. The College owns 50 acres of land next to the building that could potentially serve as a site for other research facilities. Around the corner is the Peninsula Center, a teaching facility that supports the College's part-time MBA program. "With the addition of ARC, we have the opportunity to enhance our educational and research programs through partnerships with the private sector," said Zoller. Completion of ARC will enable William and Mary's science programs to expand alliances already forged with high tech businesses. One of the College's biggest industry partners currently is Dupont. The company plans to use the FEL in the development of improved manufacturing processes for polymers and fibers. Xerox, Northrop Grumman, Newport News Shipbuilding, Motorola, IBM, Siemens, 3M and AT&T are also partners in the research that will be conducted at ARC.
The City of Newport News Industrial Development Authority, which is
financing part of ARC, is so certain of ARC's success that its leaders are
already talking about constructing an ARC II and III.
|