Hudsonalpha Institute for Biotechnology Alabama a and M
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Version 3 as of 9/3/2019 HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Alabama A and M University Auburn University Tuskegee University University of Alabama University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Alabama in Huntsville University of South Alabama Southern Research Mon: Table&of&Contents& & ! Executive&Summary…………………………………………………………………………………….! 1! ! I.!Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………! 2! ! II.!Research!Expertise!and!Capabilities…………………………………………………………..! 3! ! III.!Strategies!for!Enhancing!Collaboration……………………………………………………..! 4! ! IV.!Growth!of!Alabama!R&D…………………………………………………………………………..! 5! ! ! ! Statewide!Priorities………………………………………………………………………! 6! ! Institutional!Investment!Priorities…………………………………………………! 7! ! V.!Institutional!Points!of!Contact……………………………………………………………………! 9! ! VI.!Research!Expertise!and!Capabilities!Maps…………………………………………………! 10! ! ! Advanced!Manufacturing…………………………………………………………….....! 11! ! Agricultural!Products/Food!Production………………………………...............! 12! ! Biosciences/Biotechnology………………………………………………...................! 13! ! Chemical/Petrochemical………………………………………………………………..! 14! ! Energy…………………………………………………………………………………………..! 15! ! Forestry!Products……………………………………………………………......!………..! 16! ! Information!Technology!and!Cybersecurity…………………………………....! 17! ! Metal!and!Advanced!Materials…………………………………………...................!! 18! ! Nanotechnology…………………………………………………………………...............! 19! ! Plasma!Science…………………………………………………………………….!………..! 20! ! Transportation………………………………………………………………………….......! 21! ! Appendix&I……………………………………………………………………………………………..........! 22! ! ! Advanced!Manufacturing……………………………………………………………….! 23! ! Agricultural!Products/Food!Production…………………………………………! 25! ! Biosciences/Biotechnology……………………………………………………………! 26! ! Chemical/Petrochemical……………………………………………………………….! 29! ! Energy………………………………………………………………………………………….! 31! ! Forestry!Products…………………………………………………………………………! 34! ! Information!Technology!and!Cybersecurity……………………………………! 35! ! Metal!and!Advanced!Materials……………………………………………………….! 37! ! Nanotechnology…………………………………………………………………………….! 39! ! Plasma!Science……………………………………………………………………………...! 40! ! Transportation……………………………………………………………………………...! 41! Alabama EPSCoR State Science and Technology Roadmap (AESSTR)1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Accelerate Alabama, the economic development strategic plan for the state, was led by the Alabama Economic Development Alliance, created in July 2011 by Executive Order of Governor Robert Bentley, and Chaired by the Alabama Secretary of Commerce. Accelerate Alabama, with input from more than 1,200 stakeholders, provides direction for Alabama’s economic development efforts. Accelerate Alabama identified targeted business sectors for Alabama to focus its efforts, as well as recommendations or accelerators, and related tactics, centered on three economic development drivers: Recruitment, Retention and Renewal. The targets and accelerators were identified based on extensive research, as well as input from the Alliance members and other stakeholders located throughout the State. In coordination and in support of the Accelerate Alabama economic development strategic plan, Alabama EPSCoR (ALEPSCoR) has developed the ALEPSCoR State Science and Technology Roadmap (AESSTR). AESSTR was crafted in consultation with the research leaders of the seven Ph.D. granting institutions in the State, representatives from the Alabama Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) and with input from research oriented companies such as the Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology and Southern Research. The Roadmap complements Accelerate Alabama by identifying statewide research priorities and areas of research expertise across Alabama’s universities and laboratories that can provide the targeted economic growth. The AESSTR will be regularly updated to reflect evolving research priorities and new areas of research expertise. The AESSTR calls for partnership between the research and education enterprise of Alabama’s universities and economic growth in the state. It describes a pathway for utilizing the skills and resources at Alabama’s universities with private and public laboratories to achieve the goals of statewide Renewal of industry through the growth of innovation and research and development activities directly related to the expertise and strength of Alabama’s universities and laboratories. Alabama has a long history in agriculture, chemistry, forestry, manufacturing and transportation. More recently other domains, including biosciences, informatics technology, space sciences, energy, plasma science, information science and nanotechnology have emerged. A strategic, forward-thinking Alabama can take advantage of these emerging domains of strength to build a thriving, diverse economy. The AESSTR provides the mechanism for Alabama to capitalize on the inherent strengths of its institutions of higher education to bring a renewal to the state, building an environment where science, technology, and the economy grow alongside the intellectual and business opportunities of the future. The AESSTR identifies current technology expertise and planned focus areas in Science and Technology (S&T) at Alabama universities and institutes as well as map this expertise to potential industry sectors, makes recommendations for enhancing and expanding Alabama’s infrastructure, and lists resources needed to “Accelerate Alabama” to ensure the state is nationally and internationally competitive. 1 This AESSTR document was approved and endorsed by the Alabama EPSCoR Steering Committee on 7/21/2016. Alabama EPSCoR State Science and Technology Roadmap (AESSTR) 1 I. INTRODUCTION On a national level, the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act was enacted in 2007 and reauthorized in 2010. America COMPETES articulates the need for increased national attention to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, research, and development. Alabama has long recognized the economic importance of encouraging growth in targeted STEM research areas. Initially, the 2009 Alabama Science and Technology Roadmap (2009 Roadmap) was developed to guide leaders in the public and private sector to ensure the growth of a strong science and technology foundation in Alabama. The 2009 Roadmap identified core technology assets in the state and called for enhancing state and private support for “applying core technologies more extensively to promote innovation and global competitiveness of Alabama’s key industries, such as automotive, aerospace, healthcare, agriculture, forest products and advanced manufacturing.” This was followed by the development of a more advanced economic development strategic plan for the State, Accelerate Alabama,2 led by the Alabama Economic Development Alliance, created in July 2011 by Executive Order of Governor Robert Bentley, and Chaired by Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield.3 Accelerate Alabama includes eleven identified targeted business sectors for Alabama to focus its efforts, as well as recommendations or accelerators, and related tactics, centered on three economic development drivers: Recruitment of new business and industry, Retention and expansion of existing business and industry and Renewal through job creation, innovation and research and development, as well as commercialization. In coordination and in support of the Accelerate Alabama economic development strategic plan, Alabama EPSCoR (www.ALEPSCoR.org) has developed the Alabama EPSCoR State Science and Technology Roadmap (AESSTR). The AESSTR identified statewide research priorities and areas of research expertise across Alabama’s universities and laboratories that provide the targeted economic growth of Accelerate Alabama. Those statewide research priorities identified in the AESSTR are: advanced manufacturing, agricultural/food products, biosciences/biotechnology, chemical/petrochemical, energy, forestry products, information technology and cybersecurity, metal and advanced materials, nanotechnology, plasma science, and transportation. AESSTR was crafted in consultation with the research leaders of the seven Ph.D. granting institutions in the State, representatives from the Alabama Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) and with input from research oriented companies such as the Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology (HudsonAlpha) and Southern Research (SR).4 This AESSTR plan, formally approved and endorsed by the Alabama EPSCoR Steering Committee on July 21, 2016, will be updated yearly to reflect evolving research priorities and new areas of research expertise. Education and research organizations contribute directly to economic development efforts and are important for the Recruitment of new business and industry. An important element to Retention of industry is research and development in collaboration with the existing industries in 2 See: http://www.madeinalabama.com/assets/2013/03/AccelerateAlabamaPlan.pdf 3 The Alabama Development Office (described in Reference 2) is now the Alabama Department of Commerce. 4 See: http://hudsonalpha.org, and http://www.southernresearch.org, respectively. Alabama EPSCoR State Science and Technology Roadmap (AESSTR) 2 Alabama. Alabama’s efforts toward Renewal of industry through the development of innovations and research and development activities are directly related to the expertise and strength of Alabama’s