URI_Research_Magazine_Momentum_Fall_2021_Melissa-McCarthy

In addition to these three innovation campus projects, a team at URI is now working in partnership with RI Commerce together with collaborators around the state to develop a possible “ Blue Tech Innovation Campus ” featuring a “Smart-Bay” research, development, testing, and training platform together with a possible Blue Tech Innovation Center to be located on the Narragansett Bay Campus and with satellite “nodes” in other locations around the state. If developed, the Smart Bay is envisioned as a world- leading research and development, prototyping, testing and training platform for ocean related technology. In RI the unique geography of the Narragansett Bay enables the cost-effective deployment of a constellation of infrastructure, sensors, equipment, and 5G. Exciting work already well underway at URI at the National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR funded C-AIM project could be leveraged and expanded on as part of this project. Future physical infrastructure could be combined with an institutional ecosystem that brings together Blue Technology leaders in government, industry, academia, and a regulatory environment designed to support Blue Technology R&D and testing. The envisioned Blue Technology Innovation Center (BTIC) would be one of the first in the world where globally leading Blue Technology accelerators, venture capital, startup ventures, research faculty, ocean and coastal resilience experts, and innovative non-profits are located in one space. The planned center would build on the URI Narragansett Bay Campus’ globally renowned academic leadership in blue technology, engineering, and policy, with the unique offerings of industry-based programming. Proposals for an additional campus focused on the biosciences will be pursued. “Now that we have a couple of the innovation campuses up and running, our focus for them will be to do our best to help the partners make sure they flourish,” says Rumsey. “These campuses can and will change the nature of URI. They’re already adding hugely beneficial programs and assets to URI that will help attract and retain students and faculty and ultimately create economic development for the University and the state.” Rumsey adds, “Ultimately, URI and URIRF want to do all they can to support faculty research and to create opportunities for launching products and services that lead to vibrant industry growth, so Rhode Island becomes a more resilient and competitive state.”

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