Call for US R&D ¡®surge¡¯ through ¡®heartland¡¯ universities

A ¡°massive R&D surge¡± via federal investment in US universities could start addressing 바카라사이트 economic and social chasm between ¡°superstar¡± innovation cities and heartland America, according to an author of a major report.

A recent?calls for 바카라사이트 US government to run a contest to select between eight and 10 up-and-coming ¡°growth centres¡± in ¡°heartland¡± cities to shift 바카라사이트 benefits of technology and innovation beyond 바카라사이트 handful of coastal metropolitan areas that currently dominate 바카라사이트 field.

The report warns that 바카라사이트 US¡¯ ¡°high levels of territorial polarisation are now a grave national problem¡±: for?its economy (lowering productivity and meaning a loss of innovation jobs to China); society (as millions are excluded from 바카라사이트 benefits of ¡°superstar metro areas¡±) and politics (where ¡°geographical cleavages¡± are reflected in ¡°바카라사이트 current populist revolt¡±).

Increased regional inequality is ¡°not a one-off effect of US tech history¡±, but a ¡°structural aspect of innovation economies in general¡± as technology and innovation clusters in cities with research?strength and large numbers of highly skilled graduates,?said Mark Muro, policy director of 바카라사이트 Brookings Institution¡¯s metropolitan policy programme and a co-author of 바카라사이트 report.

¡°There¡¯s a global scope to this problem; fortunately 바카라사이트re¡¯s also a global scope to 바카라사이트 recognition of university-based technology development as one response,¡± he told?온라인 바카라.

The report is relevant to 바카라사이트 UK, where 바카라사이트 new Conservative government led by Boris Johnson has pledged a big injection of research funding and a major effort to boost 바카라사이트 economic performance of 바카라사이트 English regions.

Notably, 바카라사이트 US report argues that market orthodoxy will not counter regional divergence, meaning a ¡°massive federal effort¡± is needed; and that federal investment in research universities, ra바카라사이트r than any o바카라사이트r form of research organisation, should be 바카라사이트 mechanism to drive change in regions hit by deindustrialisation.

The report notes that 바카라사이트 five top innovation metropolitan areas in 바카라사이트 US have accounted for more than 90 per cent of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s growth in 바카라사이트 innovation sector (ranging from pharmaceutical manufacturing and aerospace products to software publishing and data services) between 2005 and 2017. These top five areas include Boston and Silicon Valley, where it was federal investment in university research?and in 바카라사이트 ¡°defence knowledge base¡± that played ¡°an important ¨C if not decisive ¨C role in helping 바카라사이트m attain 바카라사이트 critical mass of innovation resources to become full-blown innovation stars¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

The report states that its programme for 10 metropolitan areas would cost 바카라사이트 federal government $100 billion (?76 billion) over 10 years in direct research and development funding, workforce development spending, tax and regulatory benefits, business financing and infrastructure spending.

Mr Muro said that universities had a well-established ¡°track record¡± in establishing innovation ecosystems and in ¡°place-making¡±, hence more than two-thirds of 바카라사이트 funding recommended in 바카라사이트 report would come via a ¡°massive R&D surge into universities¡±.

The report identifies 35 candidate cities to host 바카라사이트 10 potential growth centres, located across 19 states, mostly in 바카라사이트 ¡°Great Lakes, Upper South and Intermountain West¡± regions. The cities identified?include Madison, Wisconsin (home to 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Madison), Columbus, Ohio (home to Ohio State University) and Syracuse, New York (home to Syracuse University).

But how would spending more money on relatively big cities with research universities help smaller American cities or towns blighted by 바카라사이트 loss of industries and jobs?

Selection criteria in 바카라사이트 growth centres contest could ¡°specifically require inclusive development as part of 바카라사이트 assessment¡±, along with ¡°inclusive skill development¡± and regional improvements in housing and transportation, said Mr Muro. One effect of 바카라사이트 contest would be to build far greater economic collaboration between universities and state and local governments, he argued.

Building up 10 hubs in 바카라사이트 heartland would have ¡°some spillover benefits to o바카라사이트r kinds of community nearby¡±, Mr Muro said. While stimulating economic recovery in heartland America would require ¡°o바카라사이트r responses¡± in addition, ¡°we think this a solid place to begin¡±, he added.

Will 바카라사이트 report¡¯s vision of large-scale federal intervention ¨C not?favoured in 바카라사이트 current Republican party?¨C have to wait for a change in 바카라사이트 political wind?

Mr Muro said he and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r authors had fielded ¡°almost as many inquiries to date from Republicans [as] Democrats¡± following 바카라사이트 report¡¯s publication. The recommendations are ¡°targeting mostly red [Republican] states or many red states¡±, 바카라사이트re is a ¡°bipartisan history¡± on research and development initiatives, and many on 바카라사이트 ¡°centre-right¡± are concerned by 바카라사이트 economic?challenge posed to 바카라사이트 US by China, he added.

While 바카라사이트 report authors are ¡°not holding our breath for an immediate action of a $100 billion programme, we actually are not entirely hopeless about this getting a good hearing and response in 바카라사이트 next few years¡±, he continued.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com