Western Research Park (Sarnia-Lambton Campus) Poised to Become Canadian Centre of Innovation Excelle

Raising the standard of excellence in innovation and competitive advantage, becoming a key transformation agent, efficiently delivering technologies to market and driving diversification and economic growth are just are few of the objectives Western's Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton Campus has established for itself. These goals were discussed today with community and business leaders and government officials during the launch of the Research Park's much anticipated strategic plan, 'A Blueprint for Regional Evolution'.

Sarnia-Lambton's industrial expertise in the areas of engineering, chemical manufacturing and power generation will assist the Research Park in pursuing growth opportunities in related sectors such as alternative energies, industrial bio-products and the environment. Exploring these new technologies is particularly important, now that the Kyoto Protocol is in effect.

"Acting on our Strategic Plan, Western has long forged regional ties to expand upon the breadth and depth of our expertise in research and teaching," said Western President Paul Davenport. "Exciting partnerships like this one with the Sarnia-Lambton community allow us to further develop our research strengths and build upon our reputation at home and abroad."

"As a leading research-intensive university, we are elated to have established this dynamic partnership with the City of Sarnia and Lambton County. There is no question that this new alliance and its resulting public-private sector linkages will drive growth and provide opportunities for innovative research," said Ted Hewitt, Western's Vice-President (Research). "Collaboration of this sort is of critical importance not only to local development, but to building the region's competitive advantage provincially, nationally and internationally."

Accelerating business and community development by facilitating, networking and managing resources will be the modus operandi of the Research Park, explained Ker Ferguson, Director of Western Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton Campus. "The Park is here to work with industry and business to accelerate growth and activate innovation potential by attracting and inspiring ideas, talent and capital," said Ferguson. "These objectives will allow the Park to assist industry in moving more technologies to market more quickly."

The Research Park will be taking a number of steps in the near future to work toward its mission. A Park Industry Liaison Team will be hired to assist industry with access to the Park's resource networks and a Technology Integration Centre is under design which will provide on site state of the art facilities and equipment for work and discussion across scientific disciplines and industrial sectors.

A Research Council, led by Hewitt, will also be formed in the coming months and will consist of private and public sector research leaders. This Council will address issues and opportunities to assist in enhancing regional R&D capabilities. To complement this Research Council, an Education Council (consisting of members of the community who have a vested interest in the delivery of industry appropriate professional development, workforce training and continuing education programs) will also be formed to act as a vehicle to determine how its members may best assess needs, deliver appropriate programming and advise the Park how it may assist in these efforts.

"This Research Park will help industry by creatively applying knowledge to produce marketable innovations," said Carolyn Jamieson, President of the Research Park's Board. "We will transfer innovation in ideas, technologies, and processes to products and services that will create competitive advantage for these companies."

The Strategic Plan was developed with direct input from community leaders and 90 per cent of them agreed that the Park could play an important role with their company. Eighty per cent believed the most important roles for the Research Park are to coordinate research, talent and capital; to enhance networks and institutional access; and to assist in solving problems to enable technologies to move to market more quickly. "The feedback we received from our community strategic planning sessions was instrumental in developing our mission and long term plan," said Ferguson. "We are here to serve our community and like our community, we are ready to move forward."

Western's Research Park Sarnia-Lambton Campus was created in November 2003 with the inception of the Community Development Corporation, owned by the County of Lambton. The Research Park manages and operates the property owned by the CDC. The CDC is itself governed by a Board of Directors with representation from The University of Western Ontario, the County of Lambton and the City of Sarnia. Current tenants within The University of Western Ontario Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton Campus include the Dow Centre for Automotive Polymer Research and Colt Engineering.

For more information about The University of Western Ontario Research Park,
Sarnia-Lambton Campus, visit www.researchpark.ca.

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Media contacts:

Douglas Keddy Communications & Public Affairs
The University of Western Ontario Telephone: (519) 661-2111 ext. 87485 email: dkeddy@uwo.ca

Carolyn Jamieson
President, Research Park Sarnia-
Lambton Campus Board of Directors
Deputy Mayor Lambton Shores/
Lambton County Councillor
Telephone: (519) 296-5810
email: cjscookies@execulink.com

Ker Ferguson
Director
The University of Western Ontario
Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton Campus
Telephone: (519) 858-5198
Fax: (519) 858-5197
email: wferguso@uwo.ca