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Colorado’s research institutions play a significant role in the state economy, and changes in federal funding and other challenges have the potential to weaken our competitive infrastructure. The 2013 Boulder Economic Summit focused on actions that can be taken to better leverage the state’s research assets, create a workforce ready for the future and build strategic partnerships between universities, government and industry. Over 200 industry, academic and community leaders attended the event hosted by the Boulder Economic Council at the Wolf Law Building, University of Colorado Boulder.

Video: Research Universities and the Future of America (YouTube)
Report Summary: Research Universities and the Future of America
Presentation: Research Universities and the Future of America
Presentation: Chancellor DiStefano’s remarks

Presentation: Bioscience industry overview

Related news articles:
Hope, fears collide at econ summit, Boulder County Business Report, June 7, 2013
Boulder Economic Summit opens with call to fight threats to Colorado’s economy, Daily Camera, May 29, 2013
Chancellor: Cuts imperil research at CU, Boulder County Business Report, May 29,2013
Gains cheered, pain feared for aerospace, Boulder County Business Report, May 29, 2013
Polis touts education, predicts less funding, Boulder County Business Report, May 29, 2013
Udall wants drone test site in Colorado, Boulder County Business Report, May 29, 2013
Boulder Economic Summit to tackle sequestration, budget concerns, Daily Camera, May 26, 2013
Summit to explore impact of sequestration, Boulder County Business Report, May 24, 2013
Federal cuts in focus at economic summit, Boulder County Business Report, May 20, 2013

Program summary:
Colorado’s research ecosystem: threats and opportunities, Dr. Phil DiStefano, Chancellor, University of Colorado Boulder – Chancellor DiStefano discussed the importance of university research partnerships with industry as well as state and federal government to help Colorado and the nation compete and prosper. He also provided insights on an array of challenges research universities face from unstable revenue streams to competition from foreign universities. He discussed how those challenges are weakening our competitive infrastructure and what we can do to change that dynamic.

Preserving the federal commitment to research, Mark E. Udall, United States Senator, Colorado – Sen. Udall discussed the significant contributions of Colorado’s research institutions and provided his perspective on the federal government’s commitment to research. He also described steps that need to be taken to enhance the nation’s leadership in innovation.

Research universities and the future of America, Peter Henderson, Director, Board on Higher Education and Workforce, National Research Council – Mr. Henderson provided an overview of the report from a committee of academic, industry, government and research laboratory leaders convened by the National Research Council to assess the competitive position of America’s research universities, and moderated a panel discussion of key recommendations. Panelists included Chancellor DiStefano, Ken Lund, Executive Director, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, Dr. Michael Martin, Chancellor, Colorado State University, Monisha Merchant, Senior Advisor for Business Affairs, U.S. Senator Michael F. Bennet, Mark Sirangelo, Corporate Vice President & Head of Space Systems, Sierra Nevada Corporation, Scott Sternberg, President, Vaisala, Inc. and CO-LABS Vice Chair

Concurrent Sessions – Panelists shared insights about current trends in the Aerospace, Bioscience and Cleantech industries including funding challenges, technology transfer and partnerships between businesses and research institutions.

Aerospace – Moderator: Vicky Lea, Aviation and Aerospace Industry Manager, Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, Panelists: Diane Dimeff, Executive Director, eSpace: The Center for Space Entrepreneurship, Dr. Dan Durda, Planetary Scientist, Space Studies Department, Southwest Research Institute, Cary Ludtke, Vice President and General Manager, Operational Space, Ball Aerospace, Dr. Stein Sture, Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Colorado Boulder

Bioscience – Moderator: April Giles, President & CEO, Colorado BioScience Association, Panelists: David Brunel, Chief Executive Officer, Biodesix, Dr. Richard Duke, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, CID4, Mark Messenbaugh, Executive Director for Corporate Strategy & Development, SomaLogic, Dr. Dan Theodorescu, Director, University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center

Cleantech – Moderator: Chris Votoupal, Deputy Director, Colorado Cleantech Industry Association, Panelists: Loren Burnett, Chairman and Founder, US e-Chromic, Dr. William Farland, Vice President for Research, Colorado State University, Bill Farris, Associate Lab Director, Innovation Partnering and Outreach, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Dr. John Poate, Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer, Colorado School of Mines

Building a workforce ready for the future, Jared Polis, U.S. Congressman, Colorado – Rep. Polis shared his insights, as a member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, on the importance of investing in education to secure America’s economic future. He also discussed the role of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) pathways, graduate education, and international students and scholars in building tomorrow’s workforce.

Partnerships for advancing research and innovation – Panel discussion of actions that can be taken to strengthen connections and collaboration between research institutions, policy makers and businesses to address funding challenges and better leverage Colorado’s research assets. Moderator: John Tayer, President & CEO, Boulder Chamber, Panelists: Brad Bernthal, Entrepreneurship Initiative Director, Silicon Flatirons, University of Colorado Boulder, Tim Bour, Executive Director, Innovation Center of the Rockies, Frances Draper, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Relations, University of Colorado Boulder, Pam Reichert, Vice President, Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, David Skaggs, Strategic Advisor, McKenna Long & Aldridge, LLP, Former member of Congress

On January 16, the Boulder Economic Council and Wells Fargo Bank presented the 2013 Economic Forecast: Boulder & Beyond at UCAR Center Green in Boulder. The event included a presentation focusing on the outlook for the Boulder area economy with an overview of national and state economic trends and a panel discussion on how economic development activities at the state, regional and local level are moving the economy forward.

Keynote Presentation: 2013 Economic Outlook
Dr. Richard Wobbekind, Economist and Executive Director, Business Research Division, Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder
Download presentation (1.4 MB)

Panel Discussion: Moving the Economy Forward
Ken Lund, Executive Director, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT)
Download presentation (1 MB)

Tom Clark, CEO, Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation
Download presentation (176 kb)

Clif Harald, Executive Director, Boulder Economic Council
Download presentation (162 kb)

Media coverage of event
Boulder County Business Report - Forecast: Prospects generally bright in area; Strategies outlined to spur local economy

Daily Camera - Economist Richard Wobbekind: Boulder County on pace for further economic growth; Colorado, Boulder poised for ‘robust’ 2013, economic development officials say

On June 5, the Boulder Economic Council and University of Colorado Boulder presented the fifth annual Boulder Economic Summit. The event included an exceptional line-up of speakers including Nobel laureate Tom Cech, and was held at an exciting new venue, the brand-new Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building on the east campus of the University of Colorado, Boulder.

The Boulder Economic Summit provides a unique opportunity for cross-industry connections and discussions of timely economic issues affecting Boulder. This year’s event focused on the role of research and innovation in the economic recovery.

Boulder is a center for research and innovation supported by a world class research university, more than a dozen federally funded research labs, and a high concentration of businesses in advanced technology and emerging industries. The 2012 Boulder Economic Summit explored how Boulder’s research infrastructure drives the local economy, national and state initiatives designed to support research and innovation, innovative new approaches for interdisciplinary research, and the funding and employment trends that could impact our local economy.

News articles about the event:
Boulder County Business Report
Daily Camera

Presentations:

Colorado’s Blueprint for Innovation – Ken Lund, Executive Director, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (presentation – 333kb)

Inspiring Discovery and Invention – Phil DiStefano, Chancellor, University of Colorado Boulder

Productive Collisions – Tom Cech, Director, Biofrontiers Institute, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder (presentation 1.29mb)

Economic Growth through Innovation – Becca Montgomery, State Policy Director, and Monisha Merchant, Senior Advisor for Business Affairs, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet’s Office (presentation 1.42mb)

Boulder’s Research Economy – Richard Wobbekind, Senior Associate Dean of MBA and Executive Programs and Executive Director, Business Research Division, Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder (presentation 1.43mb)

2 Billion Jobs to Disappear by 2030 – Thomas Frey, Futurist, Executive Director, DaVinci Institute

About the Venue: The Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building is a state-of-the-art research and teaching facility that provides a new kind of scientific environment: one that empowers researchers from many different fields to work together, across the boundaries of traditional academic structures. A central location for “productive collisions” among faculty and scientists, this building will provide the resources and tools they need to make a difference in the lives of people everywhere.

On January 26, the Boulder Economic Council and Wells Fargo Bank presented the 2012 Economic Forecast: Boulder & Beyond event that included a presentation on the outlook for the national, state, and Boulder area economy and panel discussion on economic challenges and opportunities as we emerge from a historic recession.  Nearly 250 academic, business, community, and government leaders attended the event which was held at the UCAR Green Center facility in Boulder.

Keynote Presentation: 2012 Economic Forecast
Dr. Richard Wobbekind, economist and Executive Director, Business Research Division, Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder
Download presentation (1.8 MB)

Panel Discussion: Emerging from the Recession – Economic Challenges and Opportunities
Jane Brautigam, City Manager, City of Boulder
Download presentation (82 KB)

Susan Graf, President and CEO, Boulder Chamber
Download presentation (461 KB)

Ric Porreca, Senior Vice Chancellor & CFO, University of Colorado Boulder
Download presentation (1.3 MB)

Cindy Schmidt, Director of Government Affairs, UCAR, CO-LABS Board member
Download presentation (1 MB)