Colleges and Universities are High-Tech Havens

New Jersey Business, Jun 01, 2007 by Nelson, Jennifer L

In today's high-tech world, colleges and universities throughout the Garden State are faced with a new set of responsibilities. Besides producing graduates with a wellrounded education, New Jersey's institutions of higher education must also train their students to be technologicallyadept, capable of contributing to the state's fastgrowing hightech industries.

Randy G. Harmon, director of the New Jersey Small Business Development Center (NJSBDC) Technology Commercialization Center, says, "Colleges and universities play a vital role in: training the next generation of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs; conducting fundamental research; making discoveries; and developing new technologies."

Governor Jon S. Corzine's Economic Growth Strategy is geared toward such things, and the state's institutions of higher education are working toward his goals every day.

"Governor Corzine is interested in fostering the growth of new high-tech ventures, and we're training people who know how to produce new information, new ideas, new businesses - and who can manage and run those new businesses," says Lynn Schneemeyer, Rutgers University's vice provost for research.

Collaborations with Start-up Companies

Peter Jamieson, Rowan entrepreneur in residence, also points out that Corzine's plan emphasizes the need to create collaborations between universities and start-up companies. Indeed, institutions of higher education know they must create opportunities for students to interface and work with industry directly.

"We've partnered with both large and small businesses in the area to create an opportunity to conduct research with them, and for students to go work with them," says Dr. Barbara Reagor, director for Monmouth University's Center for Rapid Response Institute, Long Branch. She adds that all of the schools within the university include a "senior experience" that requires students to work with an external entity.

Rowan University, Glassboro, runs numerous engineering clinics each semester, which are required for undergraduate engineering students throughout their four year education.

"I think the strength of our clinics is our strong industrial partners," says Dianne Dorland, dean of Rowan's College of Engineering. "Those partners could be as big as Lockheed Martin or Shell Oil, and as small as any start-up."

Monmouth University enjoys the advantage of proximity to many high-technology firms and financial institutions - most of which have senior managers serving on boards of the university.

"We bring in entrepreneurs and form advisory boards and steering committees represented by major companies in the region," Reagor says. "Together, we look at our curriculum and ask: 'Are we teaching kids the right things so they can go work for these companies?"'

"Our partnerships exist primarily around responding to the needs of local companies. Industry advisory committees, meanwhile, develop new programs and keep our current programs up to date," says Judith K. Winn, president of Bergen Community College, Paramus.

Often these partnerships lead to internships and other work experience, which are essential opportunities for students pursuing careers in high-tech industries.

"These experiences help students understand why they're doing what they're doing in the classroom. It's a huge incentive," asserts Rutgers' Schneemeyer. She notes that New Jersey's prominent pharmaceutical industry is a key player in providing Rutgers students with this necessary experience, as local companies will often invite students to work over the summer, or part-time.

Industry Executives

In many cases, industry executives are also welcomed to the university to work with students on their own projects and innovations.

Dr. Leo X. (Lex) McCusker, dean of the Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management for Hoboken-based Stevens Institute of Technology adds, "It's very 'Stevens-esque' to have theory and practice interwoven, where students can work side-by-side with an inventor."

One thing that distinguishes institutions like Rutgers and Stevens is that they are research universities, which allows them to receive federal science research funding.

"The role of a research university is to compile a knowledge base, where it can catalog information and gain a bigger picture of theories and issues," explains Fernando Alvarez, associate professor and director of entrepreneurship programs for the Rutgers School of Business.

A current partnership between Rutgers and Princeton University, another research institution, is allowing graduate students from both schools to work together on various hightech innovations.

"It's a nice collaboration, with our technological efforts and their business school expertise. We have graduate students on both sides of that perspective learning and doing good things together," says Joseph Montemarano, director for industrial liaison, Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials. "They're setting the perfect example of innovation at work here in New Jersey."