The National Research Council of the National Academies today released the Academies' new report, Understanding Research, Science and Technology Parks: Global Best Practices, at the U.S. Capital. Senator Mark Pryor, D-AR gave opening remarks.

Senator Pryor is sponsoring Senate Bill 583, which provides support for  the development and construction of research and science parks to promote the clustering of innovation through high technology activities. Co-sponsors of S. 583 are Senator Lamar Alexander, R-TN, Senator Richard J. Durbin, D-IL, Senator Tim Johnson, D-SD, and Senator Olympia J. Snowe, R-ME.

The National Resource Council report details findings from a symposium held in 2008 spotlighting park's contributions to government missions and commercializing university research.  It highlights the broad range of S&T parks, including both university- and laboratory-based parks as well as large- scale industrial models.  Additionally, it reflects the strategies devised by a number of European and Asian countries to develop S&T parks.  While recognizing the diversity of objectives and the differences in scope and scale of activity, the report identifies common challenges faced by S&T parks both in the U.S. and abroad, including evaluation and the need for appropriate metrics.

"There is strong interest in high growth clusters and S&T Parks and appropriate policy support here in the United States, an interest mirrored in the rapid growth and government support for S&T parks around the world. This report is thus both timely and a potentially important contribution to policy making," remarked Dr. Charles Wessner, Director, Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship, National Research Council.

Brian Darmody, Associate Vice President for Research and Economic Development, University of Maryland, and incoming President of AURP, remarked that "research, science and tech parks are crucial components of a national innovation strategy, which the U.S. clearly needs to formulate. This report clarifies the critical elements of such a strategy."

Written by: Judith Lavoie

A Sidney company has received a loan of $1.8 million from the federal government to work on a high-tech project that will collect information through buoys and surveillance equipment in ports.

The "repayable investment" in AXYS Technologies, which comes from $200 million in federal funding for the Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative, was announced Wednesday.

The AXYS cash injection "builds on Canadian expertise in security technologies while helping the company to play a vital role in the growing security market," said Abbotsford MP Ed Fast, making the announcement for Industry Canada.

AXYS will work on research and development in partnership with the NEPTUNE Program at the University of Victoria and will be conducting work in Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Sidney, Sooke and Victoria.

The technology, which will collect data on the environment and water quality as well as on vessel or people movements within a port or harbour, will tie together all the information and then relay it in real time to the customer through a communications system such as a satellite.

"Here at AXYS we see an under-serviced global market of over 1,000 ports that need this technology in order to better prepare themselves for the security challenges of today and tomorrow," said a company spokeswoman.

Information from buoys on waves, turbidity or salinity will enable port authorities to make timely decisions. At the same time, surveillance, using radar, sonar, satellites, hydrophones and cameras mounted on buoys, ports and harbours, will make authorities aware of what vessels are doing on the water.

The company started in 1974, conducting wave studies for Environment Canada. In the late 1980s AXYS designed, manufactured and installed Canada's Marine Weather Buoy Network.

The Province is investing $86.4 million in a new state-of-the-art building at the University of British Columbia that will house the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, enabling the expansion of the undergraduate program by 72 students, and helping address the shortage of pharmacists in B.C., announced Premier Gordon Campbell today.

“This facility will ensure increased numbers of pharmacists are able to train in B.C. to help meet the health care needs of British Columbians now and for the future,” said Premier Campbell. “This expansion of pharmacist training will build on the steps we’ve taken over the past eight years to expand training of medical professionals here in B.C., including doubling the number of doctor training spaces and nurse training spaces at our province’s universities and colleges.”

The new Pharmaceutical Sciences Building will feature almost two hectares of floor space containing research and teaching laboratories, office space and classrooms, as well as additional space to be leased out to tenants operating in the drug research, development and commercialization field. The total project cost is $133.3 million, and it will create approximately 850 construction jobs.

“The construction of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Building at UBC is part of our commitment to offer students more choices and more access to a post-secondary education in a variety of health professions,” said Moira Stilwell, Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development. “We’re providing these opportunities so students can receive the education they need to succeed in our province, while helping to ensure healthy communities.” 

The new building space will also allow the professional pharmacy degree program to expand 47 per cent in enrolment. An additional 72 students will be able to start the program by 2011 for a total of up to 224 new pharmacists by 2015. The faculty’s masters, doctoral and Pharm.D. graduate programs will also expand during the same period and the building will provide space for 896 undergraduates.

The facility will be built to target Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design gold certification. LEED is the recognized standard in green building design.

“We are grateful for the Province’s foresight in making this remarkable contribution,” said University of British Columbia President, Prof. Stephen J. Toope. “UBC’s new Pharmaceutical Sciences Building will provide a world-class learning environment and a place to make crucial discoveries for health care delivery in B.C.”

The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) will occupy research laboratories and office space in the building alongside the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. CDRD’s close proximity will benefit the Pharmaceutical Sciences program by providing an opportunity for students and the next generation of pharmacists to participate in pharmaceutical research as well as learn in an environment of innovation and discovery.

“This important bold investment by the B.C. government helps address the significant pharmacist shortage in B.C. and assures that future generations of pharmacy professionals will be ready to help meet the health care needs of British Columbians well into the future”, said Dr Robert Sindelar, Dean of Pharmaceutical Sciences at The University of British Columbia.

Since 2001, the Province has invested more than $1.8 billion in new funding for more than 840 capital projects on post-secondary campuses around B.C., opened seven new universities, added 35,500 seats, and increased spending to post-secondary institutions by 53 per cent.

The government of Canada has awarded a $20 million contract to Victoria Shipyards, for construction of five small search and rescue vessels for the coast guard. The boats will be about 15 meters, 47 feet, in length and are described as 'motor lifeboats'.

Two will be stationed on the west coast, with the remaining three each in Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Delivery is to be in March of 2011.