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BACKGROUND
As
a society we have entered a transitional era in which traditional hubs of
economic and cultural activity are giving way to something new called “knowledge
based communities.” Historically such hubs facilitated economic activity and
population concentrations and consisted of seaports, river systems, railheads,
and most recently, interstate highway systems. They are still important, but are
receding as generators of new sources of economic activity. Instead, science
and technology based industry and social structures are being created anew close
to and in collaboration with university and other research centers. These new
communities are being promoted by a variety of institutions, government entities
and quasi-governmental economic development agencies, often supported by private
industry. The desired results are new industries and new communities attracted
to and collaborating with institutional science based generators in positively
reinforcing economic and social environments.
The development of science
based educational and research capabilities and the facilities supporting them
increasingly calls for the ability to reach out to unfamiliar outside resources
and participants, often through organizational mechanisms known as
public-private partnerships. Such development may ultimately invite
collaborations of various types with private sector companies involved in
complementary research, in the financing of programs and facilities, and in the
creation of new academic or research facilities and living environments. In
many cases the necessary interaction between these different parties is outside
the normal and traditional functions of each. Thus, what is often required to
bridge the cultural and institutional experience gap is an integrating,
translational mechanism.
MISSION
 Through
effective use of its extensive real estate, community development, and financing
expertise, Science City Advisors promotes creative interaction and bridging
mechanisms. These actions facilitate solutions to major development challenges
faced by education and research oriented institutions, government
representatives, economic development entities, and private sector
collaborators. The objectives of such collaboration often include the creative
expansion of the institution’s core capabilities and facilities, the enhancement
of research capabilities at the institution through private sector research
collaboration, or simply collaborative activities designed to promote various
features of knowledge based communities. |
