James January-February 2025 web - Flipbook - Page 39
Over the past decade, Georgia has emerged as a powerhouse in university innovation.
The state has climbed the charts in attracting federal research dollars and now ranks
No. 8 in the United States. Research universities, public and private, share facilities and
equipment at a level not seen anywhere else.
Powering much of this success is the nonprofit Georgia Research Alliance. Dr. Tim
Denning, who became GRA’s president in November 2023, previously served as vice
president of research and economic development at Georgia State University. He shares
some insights into this novel GRA partnership of industry, government and universities.
Phil Kent What’s the idea behind the
PK And beyond the dollars?
Georgia Research Alliance?
TD Well, there’s workforce preparation.
Dr. Tim Denning Very simply, we drive
greater impact out of university
research and entrepreneurship in our
state. Our universities do research, and
that research brings inventions. GRA
is in the unique business of helping
the universities spur more innovation
to benefit Georgia and, ultimately,
humankind.
PK What, exactly, is the net benefit?
The influx of money creates jobs in
labs and companies, forming a pipeline
of talent for industry sectors that are
important to the state, like agriculture,
technology, healthcare and biosciences. There’s also a collaboration component. GRA brings university research
teams together in ways that other
states just don’t do. We have scientists
collaborating on research endeavors
and companies, such is the case for
Georgia Tech and UGA, for example.
TD It takes many forms. One is a direct
economic benefit. We recruit top scientists to research universities— these
are superstars in their field – and they
and their teams generate nearly $1
billion a year in R&D expenditures,
made through competitive grants. The
startup companies we help seed and
shape attract hundreds of millions
more in investment and grants. These
dollars stream into the Georgia economy, year after year.
PK What does the innovation look like?
TD I’d make the case that the collection
of GRA’s activities forms the picture
of innovation. But in terms of actual
inventions and discoveries, there are
really two kinds. We refer to them as
inventions for industry and everyday
products for people.
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