Governor leads innovation forum, tours science building
Gov. Pat McCrory visited UNC Charlotte Monday morning to convene a roundtable discussion with campus officials and business leaders regarding his Innovation to Jobs initiative. Following the forum held in the Student Union, McCrory and several others toured the Burson science building, one of the more overcrowded and outdated classroom and lab buildings on campus.
Chancellor Philip L. Dubois noted that enrollment has grown 142 percent since Burson—one of the University’s oldest buildings—was built and more than 50 percent of students with declared majors are in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields.
Last week, McCrory proposed a $1.5 billion infrastructure bond package that would provide $500 million to 10 UNC system campuses, including UNC Charlotte. Under McCrory’s plan, $60 million would be applied toward the eventual construction of a new science building on campus. Burson has been refurbished previously and is operating beyond capacity.
“This is the single most important project in allowing this campus to grow,” he added.
The roundtable discussion focused on the Governor’s Innovation to Jobs initiative, which was created to convert more university research into products and services that are patented and introduced into the marketplace.
“North Carolina’s universities and community colleges are producing world class innovation and research, especially in STEM fields,” said McCrory. “My goal is to support that innovation and make North Carolina the third vertex of a national innovation triangle. One of the ways we can achieve that, is through strategic investments included in our ‘Connect NC’ bond proposal. These investments will not only allow us to build needed highways, improve our ports, protect our safety and improve the quality of life of all citizens, but they will also help our universities and community colleges, including UNC Charlotte, support innovation and jobs for future generations.”
Participating in the roundtable with McCrory were Dubois; Bob Wilhelm, UNC Charlotte’s vice chancellor for research and economic development; Pinku Mukherjee, Irwin Belk Endowed Professor of Cancer Research; Dr. Derek Raghavan, president of Levine Cancer Institute at Carolina HealthCare System; Mike Feldman, CEO of T1Visions and former UNC Charlotte professor; Tony Tata, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Transportation; and Lee Roberts, state budget director.
As North Carolina’s urban research university, UNC Charlotte creates knowledge and economic value through research and innovation. Mukherjee achieved that combination of research and innovation through her biotechnology company, OncoTab Inc. (previously CanDiag Inc.). Founded through UNC Charlotte’s business incubator, Ventureprise, OncoTab Inc. develops and commercializes products that span the lifecycle of cancer, from initial diagnosis through treatment and recurrence monitoring. The company has an exclusive license to a patented technology platform that has successfully demonstrated diagnostic, imaging and therapeutic capabilities with breast, prostate and pancreatic cancers. Mukherjee was the 2015 recipient of the O. Max Gardner Award, the highest faculty accolade given by the N.C. Board of Governors.
Feldman, the former professor, has successfully launched two business ventures, including T1Visions. Feldman’s first venture was Digital Optics Corporation (DOC), a company that Feldman co-founded in 1991 while a professor of electrical engineering at UNC Charlotte. DOC was incubated at UNC Charlotte’s Ben Craig Center—now Ventureprise.
Throughout the roundtable discussion, participants underscored the value of funding innovative research for the continued focus of fueling job creation.