innovate arkansas

Dr. Mary Good, dean of UALR's Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology (EIT), will help host the first of a series of regional meetings of the National Academies Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy to highlight best practices in innovation and related new business creation.

Beginning at 2 p.m. Monday, March 8, and concluding at 2 p.m. Tuesday, the meeting at the Clinton Presidential Center will engage top-level Arkansas business, academic, and political leaders with high-level U.S. government officials and others positioned to help drive innovation and business incubation in the state.

"UALR is collaborating with Dr. Charles Wessner, director of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship for the National Academies, on this event, and we are confident this session and the cooperative efforts derived from it, have the potential to be genuinely useful, both for Arkansas and for the nation," Good said.

Participants also include Richard A. Bendis, president and CEO of Innovation America; David Thomison, vice president of Enterprise Services, i2E; Susan Hackwood, executive director of the California Council of Science and Technology; and Don Senich, Industrial Innovation and Partnerships Division, National Science Foundation.

Gov. Mike Beebe and his wife, Ginger, will host the board at a dinner Monday evening at the Governor's Mansion.

Attendance at the meetings will be limited to 100 or fewer to ensure it is a productive, interactive experience. Specific goals for the meeting include:

• Highlighting the accomplishments and growth of the dynamic innovation ecosystem in Arkansas.
• Bringing together Arkansas leaders in a public forum to discuss plans and common challenges as the economy begins to emerge from the current crisis.
• Providing the opportunity to highlight new initiatives and new needs.
• Identifying areas where federal, state, and foundational efforts could generate positive synergies.
• Capturing the progress of current Arkansas initiatives, highlighting the innovation agenda for tomorrow, and identifying challenges that need to be addressed in a National Academy report that would enhance the national profile of Arkansas as a center of innovation.
• Providing the basis for enhanced focus and continued growth of the Arkansas innovation system.

The STEP board has globally recognized expertise in innovation policy and is working with leading departments and agencies in the federal government to develop a better understanding of the need and opportunities for synergies between federal and state programs and private foundations' role in filling the gaps in regional development efforts.

The agenda:

DAY 1 - March 8

2 p.m.         
Welcome and Introductions
Dean Mary Good, UALR

2:30 p.m.           
Session I: The Global Challenge and the Opportunity for Arkansas.

Moderator: Mary Good

The Innovation Imperative and Global Practices
Charles Wessner, Director, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, The National Academies

Innovation Infrastructure at the State and Regional Level: Some Success Stories
Richard A. Bendis, president and CEO, Innovation America

Innovation and Commercialization Successes in Oklahoma
David Thomison, vice president of enterprise services, i2E

Susan Hackwood, executive director, California Council on Science and Technology

Evolution of Innovation in Arkansas
Watt Gregory, executive committee chair, Accelerate Arkansas

4 p.m.          
Session II: Cluster Opportunities for Arkansas
Moderator: Charles Wessner, director, Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, the National Academies

Arkansas and the New Energy Economy
Paul Suskie, chairman of Public Service Commission

Future of Wind Energy in Arkansas
Joe Brenner, vice president for production, Nordex

Research in Advanced Power Electronics
Alan Mantooth, Director, University of Arkansas' National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission

Biorefineries in Arkansas

Gary McChesney, chief technology officer, FutureFuel

Arkansas's Role in Energy Transmission Management
Nick Brown, president and CEO, Southwest Power Pool

5:40 p.m.

Adjourn

6:15 p.m.         
Reception
Arkansas Governor's Mansion

7 p.m.        
Dinner
Arkansas Governor's Mansion

DAY 2 - March 9

8:30 a.m.         
The State of the Technology and Innovation in Arkansas

Mike Beebe, governor of Arkansas

9 a.m. 

Session II: Cluster Opportunities for Arkansas (continued)

Moderator: Charles Wessner, the National Academies

The Obama Administration Cluster Initiative
Ginger Lew, White House National Economic Council

Agriculture and Food Processing
Carole Cramer, director, Arkansas Biosciences Institute, Arkansas State University

Information Technology
Jeff Johnson, president and CEO, ClearPointe Technology
                       
Nanotechnology
Dr. Greg Salamo, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

10 a.m.      
Session III: Federal & State Programs and Synergies

The Role of the Economic Development Administration
Barry Johnson, senior advisor and director of Strategic Initiatives, Economic Development Administration

Initiatives of the Manufacturing Extension Program
Roger Kilmer, director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a program of the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

University-Industry Partnerships
Marc Stanley, director, Technology Innovation Program, National Institute of Standards and Technology

State Initiatives for Research Funding and Their Role in Economic Development
Dr. William Harris, president and CEO, Science Foundation Arizona

11:30 a.m.

Lunch

12:15 p.m.       
Session IV: Universities and Regional Growth
Moderator: William Harris, Science Foundation Arizona

Converting University Research Into Start-Up Companies
Dr. Michael Douglas, director, UAMS Bioventures

University-Federal Government Partnerships
Don Senich, Industrial Innovation and Partnerships Division, National Science Foundation
                       
Arkansas STEM Coalition Activities
Michael Gealt, UALR dean of College of Sciences and Mathematics, president of Arkansas STEM Coalition

1:15 p.m.        
Session V: Arkansas R&D Capacity: Universities, Research Labs, and Science Parks
Moderator: John Ahlen, president, Arkansas Science and Technology Authority

Infrastructure for High-Performance Computing
Dr. Amy Apon, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

Research Parks in Arkansas
Jay Chesshir, president and CEO, Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce

Results and Lessons Learned from Batelle Study
Jerry Adams, president and CEO, Arkansas Research Alliance

2:15p.m.          
Session VI: Roundtable: Next Steps for Arkansas
Moderator: Dean Mary Good, UALR's Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology. Participants: Jerry Adams, president and CEO, Arkansas Research Alliance; John Ahlen, president, Arkansas Science and Technology Authority; Richard Bendis, president and CEO, Innovation America; Maria Haley, executive director, Arkansas Economic Development Commission; Sam Walls, CEO, Arkansas Capital Corp.; Dr. Charles Wessner, director, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, The National Academies

2:45 p.m.          
Adjourn