Applied Research Center

Like many CEBAF projects, ARC illustrates the power of cooperation. Founded on a partnership between industry, government and universities; the Applied Research Center will be the newest addition to CEBAF's site.

The future 120,000 square foot facility will be constructed adjacent to the VARC Building at the corner of Lawrence and S.C.O.T. Boulevards. The Center will relieve CEBAF's shortage of office space, and provide a facility where laboratory partners can collaborate on a range of research efforts.

Initial development of the Center was the product of talks held between city leaders and CEBAF. Newport News Mayor Barry DuVal says that he and other council members were investigating ways that the city could facilitate private and public sector investment in CEBAF.

As a result of the explorative talks, a proposal for ARC was developed and architectural plans designed by the firm of Rancorn, Wildman, Krause, and Brezinski. The universities of Christopher Newport University, Old Dominion University, and William and Mary College formed a partnership agreement committed to leasing 30,000 square feet for cooperative research, development activities, and graduate training. Commitments for 35,000 square feet of the space have been made by CEBAF, and the Newport News Industrial Development Authority which will reserve remaining space for industry partners and future expansion.

With lease commitments in hand, the Newport News City Council approved a $14 million dollar expenditure to plan and construct the facility. The city's investment will be recouped through lease revenue. City officials plan to use ARC as an anchor for a city-planned Research and Development Park adjacent to CEBAF. "The development and expansion of CEBAF places Newport News on the vanguard of communities considered as possible sites for leading edge industrial development," says Mayor DuVal.

ARC's partnering universities have been working on established research efforts during the conception and planning of the project. ODU and W&M are cooperating on a number of efforts including the fabrication, testing, and analysis of thin diamond films. The artificial diamond films have the potential for industrial application in tooling and electronics. ODU and W&M are also investigating flat panel computer displays as well as developing new ultraviolet light sources in collaboration with Xerox and DuPont. The light sources have numerous applications identified by industry members of CEBAF's Laser Processing Consortium.

CNU's Laser and Photonics Laboratory is collaborating with CEBAF to prepare precision control equipment for the operation of the Free Electron Laser. The University is also cooperating with CEBAF and NASA to develop a computer chip for specific physics-based applications. The chip will be used in Hall B to sort through massive quantities of data.

Fred Dylla, who serves as CEBAF's representative on the ARC Planning Committee, says that in the spirit of cooperation, area universities have been collecting valuable scientific equipment for consolidation and pooling in ARC. The effort should avoid duplicating costly resources. Dylla adds that ARC will alleviate CEBAF's shortage of office space. "ARC will provide us with space to replace our aging trailer complex," says Dylla.

The architectural package for ARC will be submitted to contractors for bidding in January, and groundbreaking should follow in March. Completion and occupation of the facility is expected in mid-1997.

- Will Conners, Director's Office Intern

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