Jan E. Odegard, Interim Executive Director of The Ion
Once the Rice Institute was referred to as being "behind the hedges." Texas didn't sport ivory towers, but our academic research and study were sequestered. No more! Today the former Sears Building and the 16-acre site on South Main owned by Rice University are being renovated, indeed transformed, to become a hub for innovation, new products, and new companies.
A distinguished panel shared insights on how an academic network of universities, industry, government, and community can collaborate to supercharge the Houston economy through unprecedented collaboration.
THE PANEL
Reginald DesRoches, Provost, Rice University
Robert Bruce Jr., Dean, Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at Rice
Neal Lane, University Professor Emeritus, former Rice Provost, former Director of the National Science Foundation
Robert F. Curl Jr., Nobel Prize Winner and University Professor Emeritus
Tom Killian, Associate Dean, Wiess School of the Natural Sciences
David McStravick, Retired Professor in the Practice of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Kerri Smith, Associate Managing Director, Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship
Montgomery Goforth, Strategic Pursuits and Partnerships, NASA-Johnson Space Center
The Ion Center will organize its projects and programs to strengthen community resilience, boosting economic capacity but not focusing on financial outcomes alone.
A Distinguished Panel Appeared at the October General Meeting
A REPORT ON TRANSFORMATIONIN PROGRESS. BY JAN E. ODEGARD, Interim Executive Director of The Ion
Once the Rice Institute was known as somewhat isolated, "behind the hedges." No more!
Today the former Sears Building and the 16-acre site Rice University owns on South Main are being renovated, indeed transformed, to become a hub for innovation, new products, and new companies. In several cities and regions across the country, universities have united to support economic growth through the formation of new companies and the development of new products. Houston is one of the few cities that lack a concerted effort, despite having the best undergraduate program for entrepreneurs at the University of Houston and the number two entrepreneurship graduate program at Rice.
The South Main area, located between the business centers of downtown and the burgeoning Texas Medical Center, has languished, but now collaborating companies, an academic network of universities, and other organizations are collaborating to strengthen communities and build a resilient city through programs at the ION CENTER. The complex of retail, educational, residential, and other facilities is being redeveloped. The panel of distinguished speakers shown below will explain how they believe this project can demonstrate new forms of institutional and civic collaboration.
PERSPECTIVES ON UNIVERSITIES AS COLLABORATING ECONOMIC ENGINES
A distinguished panel will share insights on how an academic network of universities, industry, government, and community can collaborate to supercharge the Houston economy through unprecedented collaboration.
Reginald DesRoches, Provost, Rice University
Robert Bruce Jr., Dean, Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at Rice (GSCS will provide the entrepreneurship and other coursework for The Ion)
Tom Killian, Associate Dean, Wiess School of the Natural Sciences (has served as the liaison between Rice and The Ion)
Neal Lane, former Rice Provost, former Director of the National Science Foundation, Science Advisor to President Bill Clinton
David McStravick, Retired Professor in the Practice of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, key figure in development of Rice’s OEDK (Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen)
Kerri Smith, Associate Managing Director, Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business
Montgomery Goforth, Strategic Pursuits and Partnerships,
NASA-Johnson Space Center