SwampFox

New Centers of Economic Excellence approved

The Review Board that oversees the South Carolina Centers of Economic Excellence (CoEE) Program voted this week to approve the creation of three new Centers. The CoEE Program helps the state’s three research universities (Medical University of South Carolina, University of South Carolina and Clemson University) create Centers of Economic Excellence (CoEEs), along with associated endowed professorships, in high-technology areas to enhance the state's economy.

The approval of these new CoEEs means that research related to several emerging high-tech, high-growth industries will now be conducted in South Carolina. The goal of this research is to generate well-paying jobs and economic opportunities for the people of South Carolina.

Funding for the CoEEs comes from South Carolina Education Lottery proceeds. In order for lottery funds to be used, the universities must match them on a dollar-for-dollar basis with non-state funds raised from corporate or private individual donations/partnerships or grants from federal agencies.

To receive award funding for a CoEE, the three research universities submit proposals that undergo a three-tier review process. Each proposal is first subjected to a technical review by scientific experts in the proposal’s related field. After studying the technical review scores, the CoEE Review Board decides which proposals qualify for evaluation by the CoEE Onsite Review Panel. This panel is composed mainly of senior research officials from Association of American University institutions. The Onsite Review Panel visits all three South Carolina research universities to hear presentations on all proposals and also to conduct interviews of investigators and other university administration. The panel submits a final report with recommendations for award funding to the CoEE Review Board. At its final quarterly meeting of each fiscal year, the Review Board votes on which new Centers of Economic Excellence to fund.

The three newly approved CoEEs are as follows:

CoEE in Sustainable Development (Clemson)

This CoEE will focus on creating new technologies that help to foster sustainable development, allowing South Carolina to better protect its natural resources and encourage smart growth.

Using technology to reduce the negative impact of development on natural resources is a high-priority field of research for Clemson. The university has existing programs in restoration ecology, renewable energy, natural resources, sustainable design, land use planning, real estate development, and watershed management. The CoEE in Sustainable Development will build on those strengths.

The CoEE will combine engineering technology and “cyberinfrastructure,” such as hardware platforms and software systems, that allow environmental scientists and technicians to monitor, manage and safeguard both natural and built environments through informed decision-making.

A central component of this CoEE will be Clemson’s Intelligent River™ project. The project involves a large network of sensors and probes along the length of the Savannah River; the instruments gather and transmit huge amounts of data wirelessly to Clemson researchers about the condition of the river. The data are collected in a database that can be viewed via the Internet, so that scientists and environmental managers can remotely monitor environmental characteristics such as water quality, storm-water runoff, and tree growth. This information can help scientists and officials better manage rivers and protect watersheds from damage from such causes as development and too much demand.

The products and services that result from the research of this CoEE will allow South Carolina to protect its natural resources, which are an important driver of the state’s tourism, forestry and agricultural industries.

This CoEE could also lead to the development of more “green economy” jobs in South Carolina, such as environmental engineers, scientists and technicians.

In its review of the merits of this CoEE, the CoEE Onsite Review Panel said: “There is a high potential for positive economic impact, including technology transfer of advanced sensor networks and informatics tools to serve clients in both government and private sectors. The rapid deployment of the ‘Intelligent River’ program provides a compelling example of the promise for the CoEE chair to address broader platforms of sustainable development.”

CoEE in Data Analysis, Simulation, Imaging and Visualization (USC)

This CoEE will seek better ways to analyze, model and process large amounts of data to make it understandable and useable.

While modern technology has made possible the collection of huge quantities of data, this data is not useful unless it can be turned into knowledge—through a mechanism to extract, process and interpret the data so that it can be used to inform decision makers. This is an issue that touches nearly every scientific discipline today, including engineering, chemistry, biology and medicine.

The CoEE in Data Analysis, Simulation, Imaging and Visualization will design innovative algorithms that can improve the flow and interpretation of data collected by a variety of advanced equipment, such as electron microscopes, earth remote sensing satellites, and supercomputer hydrodynamic simulations.

These algorithmic designs could be licensed for use for both fundamental and applied research within the academic, government and private sectors. Start-up companies focused on processing and analyzing data within a particular field, such as DNA sequencing analysis, could also be created.

In its review of the merits of this CoEE, the CoEE Onsite Review Panel said:
“The proposed CoEE builds on existing strengths at USC and is relevant to a wide range of scientific and research endeavors . . . It is projected that the proposed CoEE will ultimately create a local workforce of hundreds of trained professionals.”

CoEE for Inflammation and Fibrosis Research (MUSC)

This CoEE will focus on developing new therapies for inflammatory and fibrosing conditions, which are a major cause of chronic illness in South Carolina and around the country. Fibrosing conditions occur when organs or tissues develop excessive fibrous tissue, which can interfere with the normal function of the organ. Examples of diseases in which inflammation or fibrosis play a prominent role include lupus, cystic fibrosis and scleroderma.

The commercialization of treatments developed by the CoEE could lead to start-up companies and new jobs in South Carolina. The CoEE’s research also has tremendous potential to improve the quality of life for people afflicted with debilitating chronic diseases.

MUSC has a world-class research group in this field. Dr. Richard Silver is an internationally renowned expert in the study and treatment of scleroderma, while Dr. Gary Gilkerson is widely known for his work with systemic lupus erythematosis.

In its review of the merits of this CoEE, the CoEE Onsite Review Panel said:
“This is an outstanding proposal that addresses an important and chronic health problem in South Carolina and elsewhere for which little effective treatment is available. . . . The program builds solidly on a long history of accomplishment at MUSC in this focus area. Confidence is high for success in drug development and technology transfer.”

In approving the three new Centers, CoEE Review Board Vice Chair Pamela P. Lackey said, “The CoEE Program is making an immense contribution to the long-term health of the South Carolina economy, and these new Centers of Economic Excellence will add to our existing research strengths in health care, environmental science, and information technology. The innovations being developed within all our Centers of Economic Excellence will help South Carolina attract skill-based, higher-paying jobs in these kinds of high-growth industries.”

About the CoEE program

The CoEE Program was created by the South Carolina legislature in 2002 and is funded through South Carolina Education Lottery proceeds. The legislation authorizes the state's three public research institutions, MUSC, Clemson and USC, to use state funds to create Centers of Economic Excellence in research areas that will advance South Carolina's economy. To date, 49 Centers of Economic Excellence have been created and 30 CoEE Endowed Chairs have been appointed to lead the centers. The CoEE Program has resulted in more than a quarter billion dollars of non-state investment in the South Carolina economy and is responsible for the creation of more than 3,200 jobs. For more information, visit www.sccoee.org.