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Tom Kurfess and Richard Swaja: Endowed Chairs ready to help build economy, create jobs

Submitted by: Trisha Ostrowski on Jan 20, 2011 at 8:54 pm Tagged with: CoEE, endowed chairs Source: The State Newspaper

South Carolina has a unique resource that can give our state a competitive advantage and speed our economic recovery: 35 internationally recognized scientists and engineers who have been recruited through the state’s Centers of Economic Excellence, or endowed chairs, program, which uses lottery funds to drive innovation and job creation in South Carolina.
These scientists and engineers represent a wide variety of http://www.swampfox.ws/node/37436/edithigh-tech research fields. They have come from institutions such as MIT and Harvard, from organizations such as NASA and NIH, from countries across the globe.

We and the other endowed chairs have relocated our research projects and teams to South Carolina and serve as faculty members at one or more of the state’s research universities. We are eager to use our expertise to enhance the state’s economy and quality of life. We want to be a resource for South Carolina.

In 2009, all of us came together to establish the “Council of Chairs” with the mission of providing leadership for South Carolina in matters related to science, technology and knowledge-based economic development. We see several specific ways that the Council of Chairs can advance the state’s economy.

First, we can enhance the state’s national and global image and competitiveness. All of us are active in national and international scientific circles, and we can be ambassadors for South Carolina’s growing science and technology base. We also can help maximize the benefits South Carolina receives from the endowed chairs program, which has reached critical mass and is ready to move to the next level in terms of national prominence and visibility.

Second, the council can help increase the cross-pollination of ideas in the state. For example, at the recent council forum, automotive and stroke researchers were able to discuss the similarities between research on stroke patients and the training scenarios used in driving simulators, which measure skills such as eye-hand coordination. A car guy connecting with a stroke guy: This type of interaction can result in real innovation.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, the council can help South Carolina recruit and retain companies by sharing details about our research and how it might be applied to product development. When the state approaches a company, we would like to offer our services to assist with recruiting that company. Most of us have significant industry connections that can be used to increase business interest in the state as well.

Another way we can support economic development is by helping steer the state toward emerging growth areas. Successful economies such as Germany, Japan and China are looking ahead and saying: “What are our next industry targets? Which industries are up-and-coming?” South Carolina needs to do this, and we are in a perfect position to help. We were recruited because we have dedicated our professional lives to exploring and advancing the leading edge of technology in our fields.

We are ready to help lead the state to the next level of knowledge-based economic development — national visibility and leadership. We are ready to provide academic leadership and intellectual firepower to advance South Carolina’s economy and create higher-paying jobs.

Whatever challenges arise for South Carolina, we are ready to do what we can. The council exists as a resource for the governor, the Legislature and all groups in the state working to build a knowledge-based economy. We invite leaders in the state to call on us and take advantage of our presence. We are ready to act and eager to serve