Clemson reveals new vision for research park
BYLINE: David Dykes ddykes@greenvillenews.com
BUSINESS WRITER
Anderson County officials and Clemson University on Tuesday unveiled plans for a new global marketing strategy for a 265-acre advanced materials and research center, formerly known as Clemson Research Park.
The Anderson County Development Partnership and the university's Office for Research & Economic Development jointly announced development of the plan for the Clemson University Advanced Materials Center on Hwy. 187, three miles from Interstate 85 in Anderson County.
Organizers said the new strategy would target advanced materials companies and researchers to "come, create and innovate" at the campus and technology park, which is under development and is anchored by Clemson's Advanced Materials Research Laboratory.
The center will complement the Clemson University-International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), the public-private initiative in Greenville County, and spotlight the region as an emerging advanced materials cluster and research hub, organizers said.
"By establishing a focal point and research hub for the advanced materials industry, the Advanced Materials Center will become a magnet for economic development -- attracting knowledge-based jobs and investment to the Upstate," said Jane Sosebee, chairwoman of the Anderson County Development Partnership.
Advanced materials grow out of the study of various substances such as metals, ceramics and polymers and are used in science and technology to meet specific needs.
"One of the common characteristics of successful knowledge-based economic clusters is a high level of collaboration among research universities, private industry partners and progressive state and local governments," said Clemson President James Barker. "The partnership between Anderson and Clemson University is an essential ingredient in our success."
The academic heart of the center is Clemson's 111,000-square-foot research lab, which is internationally recognized for its work in advanced fibers, films, ceramics, optics, composites and nanomaterials. It has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, NASA, and the private sector.
A formal marketing plan for the center will be put in final form and carried out over the next 18 months, organizers said.