Philadelphia's University City Science Center to Host the 2013 International Conference

The University City Science Center will host university research, science and tech park executives in Philadelphia, Penn., for the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) 2013 International Conference. AURP is focusing on the theme of the conference, “Inventing the Future”, and the important role research parks play in developing entrepreneurs, innovation and technology commercialization from university research. Read more.

Emerge Center breaks ground at LSU Innovation Park

It's ready, set, go for Innovation Park, LSU's dedicated complex for research commercialization. The Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Foundation, or BRSHF, broke ground at the Park for its new facility that will be called The Emerge Center for Communication, Behavior and Development. The Emerge Center will offer clinically-effective therapies to children and adults with communication difficulties from the Greater Baton Rouge area and across Southern Louisiana, regardless of their ability to pay. Read more.

NPR: Notre Dame and Ignition Park Reinvent South Bend

Listen to the NPR story on how Notre Dame and Ignition Park are reviving the once "dying town" of South Bend, Indiana. South Bend may be best known as the home of the Fighting Irish, but it was once the home of Studebaker automobiles. When Studebaker closed in 1963, it left a gaping hole in the town, where unemployment is at 10.4 percent, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Now, the city is working hard to create a second act for the commercial life of South Bend. In recent years, some of Studebaker's former assembly plants have been torn down, and one former site on the company's old grounds has been renamed Ignition Park. Listen Now.

Research Parks Create Jobs and Economic Growth

Research, science and technology parks are catalysts for job creation. As communities look for ways to create jobs and drive economic growth, many are finding innovation to be a key element.

“University research parks are having a major impact on their communities – by creating high-wage jobs,” said Kevin Byrne, AURP President and the Chief Operating Officer of the University Financing Foundation. One example of this is the Purdue Research Park Network. According to a recent economic impact study, the park is responsible for a $1.3 billion annual impact for the State of Indiana and “more than 4,000 high-tech, high-quality jobs paying an average annual salary of $63,000 – 65 percent higher than the Indiana average.” Read more.