UNIVERSITY RESEARCH SCIENCE PARK ASSOCIATION RECOGNIZES CENTENNIAL FOR PARTNERSHIP CREATION

The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) named Centennial Campus at North Carolina State University as the year’s Outstanding Research Science Park at the recent AURP 2007 Annual Awards Luncheon in St. Louis. Centennial Campus was selected from among finalists that included bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park in Baltimore, Maryland, and Sandia Science and Technology Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Awards Luncheon was sponsored by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.

AURP cited Centennial Campus for their accomplishments in innovation and technology partnership creation for economic development.

Over 250 executives representing leading research science parks from around the world were in attendance at the annual conference and awards presentation. The conference was addressed by Sandy Baruah, the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, and by Dr. Walt Plosila and Marianne Clarke of the Battelle Technology Partnership Practice, among others. Plosila and Clarke outlined AURP-Battelle’s recent study quantifying the contribution made by research science parks to economic competitiveness.

“We are very honored to be the recipient of the AURP 2007 Outstanding Science Research Park Award. Centennial Campus is based on a “knowledge enterprise zone, which creates synergy leading to innovation and transfer, and improved quality of life for North Carolina and beyond,” said Dr. David Winwood, Associate Vice Chancellor, North Carolina State University, in accepting the award for Centennial Campus.

“I congratulate Centennial Campus on their meaningful work on fostering innovation and partnership creation,” said AURP President Mike Bowman. “Centennial Campus exemplifies the new model of research science parks, in which strategically planned mixed-use campus expansions create innovation, partnerships, and a high quality of life for their community and the nation,” he added.

ABOUT AURP
The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) exists to foster the development of research science parks. Science parks create innovation, commercialization and economic competitiveness through collaboration among universities, industry and government.

Reprinted with permission from The Association of University Research Parks – View the original release