Shelby: UAH is poised to be 'MIT of the South'

200,000 square foot Shelby Center will help UAH achieve that goal

Sometimes following a timely piece of advice can turn a good idea into a great one.

About six years ago, officials from the University of Alabama in Huntsville visited U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby in Washington, D.C. to ask him for $2 million dollars for a project.

Shelby, speaking with The Huntsville Times editorial board in 2003, recalled that he told the officials no. He advised them to think bigger. At the time, he promised if they could get local and state help, he would secure $50 million in federal money for a truly world-class facility.

He was as good as his word. Shelby was instrumental in obtaining $50 million to build a new science, engineering and economic development building on UAH's campus. An additional $10 million was secured by Gov. Bob Riley from the state's Capital Improvement Trust Fund.

UAH broke ground in June 2005 on the four-story, 200,000-square-foot facility. The Shelby Center for Science and Technology is scheduled to open today, with classes in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics to be held there beginning in the Spring 2008 semester.

"The Shelby Center for Science and Technology will be the centerpiece for UAH's academic advancement efforts," says U.S. Rep. Robert "Bud" Cramer. "It will help ensure UAH's students continue to have the best facilities to help prepare for their careers."

The facility will also house research labs, the Center for Modeling, Simulation and Analysis, as well as the Center for Management and Economic Research.

"We appreciate Sen. Shelby's work to get this new center funded," Gov. Riley says. "This new technology center will help further Alabama's technological progress, and will only increase its growing reputation as a leader in the field of technology."

With Huntsville's wealth of engineering, aerospace and high-tech resources-from NASA and Redstone Arsenal to the private high-tech companies across the region-UAH could be on its way to becoming an MIT of the South, Shelby told school officials a few years ago.

"UAH is uniquely positioned in a growing high-tech corridor and research center in the South, providing UAH unparalleled community resources," he says now. "UAH is a seedbed that will continue to grow and foster opportunities for the many high-tech corporations that have chosen to call Huntsville home."

Though UAH already has facilities which are home to cutting edge research on technologies like propulsion, optics and weather forecasting, the university lacks the kind of preeminent buildings and laboratories that draw top-shelf students and faculty from across the country to schools like MIT. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology name has long been synonymous with outstanding education and cutting-edge innovation.

"I believe that UAH is on the path to becoming the MIT of the South, but for that to happen, we must continue to ensure that the University has the necessary facilities, faculty and research programs that will allow it to compete on a national scale," Shelby says.

Cooperation from elected officials at all levels of government are needed to secure enough funding for UAH to expand its programs and facilities and to provide competitive salaries for faculty.

"The future for UAH is immeasurable as long as the effort to foster its growth remains a concerted effort of local, state and federal officials who want to ensure that the needs of the university are met," Shelby says. "I intend to continue to be a supporter of UAH's interests in Washington."

One way UAH and MIT are similar is that both universities are involved in technological research that is important on both a regional and a national scale. UAH is one of a handful of schools that receive millions of dollars in funding from NASA. Last year, through a collaboration between UAH, the National Weather Service and Cramer, seven weather stations-the first of their kind in the nation-were installed across North Alabama.

As the North Alabama region shifts more and more toward a technology-driven economy, a school like UAH is poised to draw even more talent to the area.

"Over the past few years," says Riley, "Alabama has been steadily proving itself to the nation, and to the world. What was once a textile-driven economy has been replaced with a technological one. We are how home to a world-class automotive industry and we are on our way to becoming leaders in other fields, like robotics and biotechnology. Senator Shelby's leadership continues to have a positive impact on Alabama."

Shelby says he hopes the new technology center will help UAH reach its long-term goals.

"We live in a time when degrees in math, science and engineering are essential to continuing the United States' competitive edge in the increasingly technological global market," he says. "I believe that we must invest in and improve student achievement in these areas. I am hopeful that the new Science and Technology Center at UAH will continue to attract bright and intelligent students who are eager to learn from the many impressive professors who teach at UAH."

Last year, according to the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce, the Huntsville area drew $237 million in new investment from primary sector industries. The Huntsville metro area population has increased 9.6% since 2000, and employment grew 10.2% in that same time, faster than any other metro area in the state.

In May, Huntsville was named one of Forbes magazine's Leading Cities for Business, and in January was named one of the country's 15 Greatest Cities for Job Seekers by CareerBuilder.com. Huntsville has received similar nods from other national media.

The area's growth and progress could be positively impacted by UAH's transition into a world-renowned research university.

"UAH is already a growing science, engineering and technology center with an emerging national reputation for excellence," Shelby says. "I am committed to continuing to expand its research facilities and programs so that UAH will eventually be known as the MIT of the South."