State Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams Jr., (D-Brooklyn) was honored at the ’s inaugural Celebration of Innovation for his work in securing funding for a world-class research and technology park at the University of Connecticut’s main campus in Storrs. The landmark project is expected to create thousands of high-quality jobs and generate tens of millions of dollars in federal and private funding.
The ceremony, which took place on May 16th at the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford, recognized not only research, - a vital part of the University’s mission, but the economic impact resulting from the revenue-generating licenses created from the university’s research.
“The technology park represents our embrace of a bright future for the region's economy,” said Williams. “Over the last two decades, the University of Connecticut has emerged as a nationally recognized research institution with a reputation strong enough to attract top-notch talent and businesses. The research and technology park will create thousands of high-quality jobs and ensures that Eastern Connecticut is an integral part of incredible potential for Connecticut’s families and businesses. I want to thank the university and its partners for this award.”
The $170 million project, first discussed in Connecticut more than 20 years ago, calls for construction of a 125,000 square-foot multi-story building comprised primarily of large, flexible-use laboratories containing specialized equipment, not readily available to industry, for collaborative industry-university research. The building will also provide high tech “clean rooms” and a bio-nanofabrication facility, business incubators, private space for use by individual companies, and office space.
The UConn tech-park will eventually include multiple buildings—many of which could be privately funded—that will house large, flexible-use laboratories containing specialized equipment for collaborative research. The complex, to be located in the North Campus and completed within four years, will provide space for business incubators and individual companies.
Also connected to the project is the new ‘Innovation Partners Eminent Faculty Program,’ which seeks to attract some the nation’s top scholars and scientists and to leverage millions of dollars in federal and private investment.
