OK Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology expands offices into Tulsa

At 8 a.m. today, the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology will open the doors to its new Tulsa office to help fund more high-tech research projects."I think the agenda for research and development in Tulsa will open a great opportunity for us," said Michael Carolina, executive director of the state's technology-based economic development agency. "We bring services at the state level that complement those research efforts. "Mark Thompson, who will join the OCAST staff as associate director, will oversee the agency's northeastern Oklahoma operations from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce offices at the Oklahoma State University-Tulsa campus, 700 N. Greenwood, Suite 1400. OCAST support staff will travel from Oklahoma City as needed, as will Carolina."Two state agencies in one location," he said. "They have somewhat different missions in focus, but if you look at the commonality of it all, our two missions are very complementary.

"Carolina expects operating the new office will improve its community relationships while fostering more high-tech company development. But the biggest attraction remains OCAST's bread and butter - garnering more research applications in nanotechnology, homeland security issues, biosciences and life sciences from the University of Tulsa, OSU-Tulsa, the OSU Center for Health Sciences, the University of Oklahoma Tulsa campus and Tulsa Community College Health Sciences and Biotechnology Center opening Feb. 8. Carolina also expects to boost aviation and aerospace technology development with large area employers like the Nordam Group, Spirit Systems and American Airlines. In particular he pointed to House Bill 2819, which this year created the Oklahoma Aerospace Initiative to build support for military and commercial engineering and supply chain organizations in those sectors. Though the initiative remains unfunded, Carolina looks forward to jumpstarting the effort."We have to promote those sciences and technologies that will pay high-paying jobs, support our tax base, and keep our best students in our state by providing competitive science and technology jobs," he said.Thompson, a registered professional engineer and telecommunications industry veteran, said his goal is to not only help build Tulsa-area technology businesses but to bring more to northeastern Oklahoma, building its employment and tax base. From his extensive travels, Thompson expects tech companies from California to New York would be interested in moving to this region if they better understood its lower operating costs, work force capabilities and central location advantages. One major element of that involves improved marketing efforts."People outside Oklahoma only know Oklahoma for the Dust Bowl and University of Oklahoma football," he said. "I think that needs to be changed a little bit. "The OSU electrical engineering graduate also holds an MBA from Oklahoma City University. Thompson has previously worked with SBC Communications, CIENA Communications, Williams Communications and Central and Southwest Services (AEP/PSO).This marks the first OCAST office to open outside of Oklahoma City since its formation in 1987. The agency has leveraged state appropriations of nearly $140 million to fund research in health care, applied sciences and small business innovations. That has attracted about $2 billion from both private and federal sources. OCAST also funds the Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center, which is operated by the nonprofit i2E Inc., as well as the Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence and the Oklahoma Inventors Assistance Service at OSU.Both OAME and the commercialization center maintain offices in Tulsa."We can be more integrated and attend events a lot better and work with our strategic partners and our strategic alliances much better if we're in the Tulsa community," said Carolina. "I think by expanding to Tulsa we'll be in a position to do that. "