Research conference pilot program

Slated for 2010, the Arkansas Research Alliance will conduct a series of three research conferences to be held at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute in Petit Jean, Ark. The research conferences will increase multi-campus collaboration between Arkansas research universities which will better position universities to receive federal grants.

Focus

The Battelle study will be the roadmap for the conferences with topics stemming from the nine strategic focus areas outlined by Battelle. The conferences will focus on rigor, the economic impact of research, and incubation and commercialization of new businesses. Attendees include industry leaders, university researchers and external experts.

Purpose

Bring together leading researchers from Arkansas universities and key industry executives in the broad area of smart infrastructure development to:

• Further the sense of community across researchers at the various research universities
• Lay the groundwork for building research collaborations leading to multi-university grants applications (more oriented towards larger federal research center and program project grants)
• Identify needed areas for researcher recruitment and research infrastructure that can advance a strategic focus area
• Build industry awareness of Arkansas research capacity in targeted areas
• Create more awareness by researchers of potential Arkansas industry partners and ways to commercialize technologies
• Offer a means to engage with potential ARA Scholars from around the nation as part of the research symposium structure