The Research Triangle Park

It Takes Both

Under Secretary Sanchez

While “research” is our first name, the companies in the Research Triangle Park recognize the important linkage between innovation and R&D and manufacturing and actually making “stuff.” This point was made quite clear during a recent visit to the Park by Undersecretary for International Trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Francisco Sanchez.

At a White House Business Council Roundtable co-hosted with the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, more than 25 representatives from companies and universities in the Research Triangle region—led by NC Department of Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco—came together to provide insights and ideas to the Undersecretary on ways the US Federal government can continue to help North Carolina companies make more and sell those goods to markets overseas.

Exports are a substantial part of the North Carolina economy and the ability to not only think up great products and therapies but produce them and sell them around the world will be key to our future competiveness (a side note and interesting factoid: if “exports”  were considered an industry, it would be our second largest in the State, producing sales of more than $31 billion annually).

One great example of this important relationship was illustrated by the experience of Protochips, an early-stage company that develops analytical tools for more targeted R&D of nano-scale materials, founded by a group of NC State grads. David Nackashi, the  company’s CEO and Co-founder, explained how his company gets excited about the cutting-edge ideas and technologies that Protochips is able to develop within the rich environment of the Research Triangle region. But, he gets even more excited when the company’s low-tech fax machine delivers new orders from customers in Japan and throughout the globe. He touted the great collaboration and programs within our region that allow his company to not only leverage the best of graduates and students of NC State and others around the region, but to work with the state and federal resources to  identify potential markets, make the connections and ultimately make the sale.

His comments echoed those of Beau Mills, the District Director for the Office of Congressman David Price, who noted that our state is a great model of how government, industry and academia work well together and how the partnerships that have grown over the years work to service the needs of not only well-established companies but small start-ups and new ones.

The entire roundtable discussion was a great testament to the talent and innovation in our state and region—and a great example of how the idea that started the Park—getting the public sector, academia and business to work towards an overall strategy—continues to create opportunity for North Carolina and businesses who call this state home.

Envisioning RTP for Future Generations

A guest blog post by Bob Geolas, the new President & CEO of the Research Triangle Foundation

The Research Triangle Park in 1959

Growing up in North Carolina, I have always believed that our state was special, capable of achieving “big things” and destined to play a leading role on the global stage. It does not matter whether you were born and raised in North Carolina or moved here from somewhere else, we all seem to share this confidence in our state.

To me, this comes from our great Research Triangle Park and its history. A bold, even risky, proposition fifty years ago, North Carolina announced its intentions to build a cutting-edge research park in a scrub-pine forest in a state that ranked 49 out of 50. Despite all the challenges, it worked.

Today, RTP stands as a global brand, an innovation hot spot and economic engine for our country. Now, it is time for us to think big again for RTP and North Carolina. Throughout this year, we will begin launching a new development plan.

A vision for the Research Triangle Park of the future

This plan will embrace four principles:

• RTP should be highly collaborative – a place that brings people together in new dense, urban centers with amenities and services.
• RTP should be authentic to North Carolina -  representing modern design and quality work and living spaces.
• RTP should be inspiring - representing the excitement of the future in science, technology, arts and humanities.
• RTP should be accessible – affordable to new technology companies and those looking to grow and expand.

This will be an exciting time for our great Research Triangle Park and I am honored to represent such a special place. I hope you will join us as we begin to launch our next fifty years and the continued promise that is our destiny.

RTP FAQ

One of the most interesting parts of my job is giving presentations to visiting groups about the Research Triangle Park.  From senior government officials based in Kazakhstan to student groups from local universities, the Research Triangle Foundation hosts a large number of visitors each year that are interested in learning more about RTP, and what we at the Research Triangle Foundation do in managing the Park.  Additionally, our front desk receptionist happily greets visitors on a daily basis that come through our doors because they are looking for directions, job opportunities, or interested in learning more about the Park.

The purpose of this blog post is to answer some of the questions that we have received over the years and also give you an opportunity to ask any additional questions, so here we go…

What is the Research Triangle Park Headquarters?

Research Triangle Park Headquarters

The Research Triangle Park Headquarters is the building that houses the executive and administrative offices of the Research Triangle Foundation, the organization that owns & manages the Research Triangle Park.  Additionally, the Research Triangle Park Headquarters houses the Archie K. Davis Conference Center, a 6,800-square-foot state-of-the-art conference facility.

For those visiting the Park, the Research Triangle Park Headquarters has a large kiosk with a map of all companies in RTP.

What is the Research Triangle Foundation?

The Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina is the organization that manages the Research Triangle Park.  The Research Triangle Foundation works to attract quality jobs, foster collaboration with universities and sustain RTP as a continued engine for the region and state’s economic growth.

For a list of Research Triangle Foundation staff, click here.

Map of Research Triangle Park

Do you have a map of RTP?

We have maps of RTP as well as company listings available in hard copy form at RTP Headquarters or online here:

RTP Company Map
RTP Company Map, by industry

How can I learn more about Research Triangle Park?

Our website, www.rtp.org is the most valuable source of information for those interested in learning more about the Park.  Additionally, we have hard copies of brochures on the Research Triangle Park available at our front desk.  Additionally, we have digital copies available here: http://www.rtp.org/rtp_flipbook/.

Can you help me to get a job at one of the companies in the Research Triangle Park?

RTP Headquarters does not have a job board. We recommend you contact the individual companies that you are interested in working for directly.

Click here for a listing of all companies in RTP that has links to the company websites.

Additionally, check out one of the job sites hosted by one some of our partners:
North Carolina Biotechnology Center
North Carolina Technology Association

Where can I find information on available office/lab space in RTP?

Information on available space in RTP is found on our website and below:

Available Buildings
Incubator & Accelerator Space
Available Sites

Are the pedestrian and mountain biking trails in RTP open to the public?

While the jogging trails and mountain biking trails were built primarily for use by RTP employees, they are open for enjoyment by the public.

Pedestrian and bike trails map
Mountain biking trail map

Do you have to be a life science company to locate in RTP?

RTP’s companies represent a wide variety of industries.  While the Park’s life science industry cluster is very strong, we are home to many companies, both large and small, in the IT sector, material sciences and engineering, agricultural biotechnology and financial services.  For more detailed information on the various industries in RTP, check out the industry section on our website.

Is there a fee for companies in RTP (like an owner’s association fee)?

There is no “owners association” fee for companies that locate in RTP.  All owners and tenants of RTP are invited to join the Owner’s and Tenant’s Association, but there is not a fee associated with membership.

Now that we’ve answered what we consider to be the RTP FAQ, do you have any additional questions that you would like us to answer?

A new public charter STEM high school in Research Triangle Park

By Dr. Amanda Marvelle, Guest Blogger from Research Triangle High School

Did you know that RTP will soon have its very own high school dedicated to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning?  Research Triangle High School (RTHS) is anticipating opening as a public charter school in RTP this August 2012.  The school’s launch is spearheaded by Pamela Blizzard, a founder of nationally-ranked Raleigh Charter High School, and of the science education non-profit Contemporary Science Center in Durham’s Museum of Life and Science.

RTHS will offer an education that blends digital materials with experiential learning, enabling us to reach a broad spectrum of learners, and to develop young people into mature, sophisticated thinkers and doers. We hope to draw applicants from a range of academic, economic and minority backgrounds… a school that will represent the diversity of the Triangle. Our goal is to accelerate learning for all who come to this school, preparing them for college and our globally competitive work world.

Innovations at RTHS:

* Cutting-edge instructional techniques will blend digital material and collaborative experiences, reflecting the mobile world in which we live and work today.

* ‘Flipped’ course work will allow students to learn from digital lectures and material outside of class time, and to learn from group labs, seminars and collaborative projects during class time, allowing much greater differentiation for students’ learning.

* Research Triangle industry internships and projects, developed through partnerships with surrounding companies, will allow students to develop skills and a solid sense of the work-world around them and their place in it.

* An extended school day will provide more opportunities for instruction and help outside of class, as well as overcome transportation barriers.

* Learning Teams of teachers and industry experts will support key STEM learning objectives, creating a fertile field of experts collaborating to create better learning opportunities for students both at RTHS and beyond.

Are you the parent of a rising 9th grader and looking at high school options?  We are anticipating charter approval by February 3^rd. The student application period will open for rising ninth grade students on February 4th and close on March 15.  The school will begin with a ninth grade class of 160 students, and add a new grade each fall until grades 9-12 are covered with a projected student enrollment of 420. For more details visit:www.researchtrianglehighschool.org.

Research Triangle High School RTP Open Houses

Friday, February 10^th 12 PM to 1 PM
Wednesday, February 15^th 5:30 PM to 7 PM

Research Triangle Park Headquarters
12 Davis Drive
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

Tap Into World Class Talent at the Carolina MBA Connection Career Fair!

We are honored to be the chosen venue to showcase the area’s top MBA talent.  Actually, it’s an ideal fit for us as the RTP stems from educated beginnings.  

When you think of the Research Triangle Park you probably don’t immediately think of our local universities, but perhaps you should.  The vision and idea of the Research Triangle Park was founded on the strength and promise of talent from our regional universities.  It was believed this talent, along with the academic environment supporting research and development, would attract and grow research organizations and benefiting businesses alike.  More than fifty years later, the Park is living proof of the wisdom of the Founders’ beliefs.   The contributions these academic organizations continue to make to our region and state remain crucial to our businesses and economic growth.

Please join us for an opportunity to support and recruit these outstanding students from the top four MBA programs in North Carolina:

• Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business
• North Carolina State University’s Jenkins College of Management
• University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School
• Wake Forest University’s Schools of Business

  Thursday, February 23, 2012, 9:30 am-3:30 pm

Archie K. Davis Conference Center at 12 Davis Drive, RTP

Please click here for details and registration.

January Food Truck Rodeo: Thurs, Jan. 12th

Please join us for the January Food Truck Rodeo!

Date: Thursday, January 12th
Time: 11:30 AM -1:30 PM
Location: RTP Headquarters, 12 Davis Drive (Directions)

Participating Food Trucks:
Pie Pushers Pizza Truck
Chirba Chirba Dumpling Truck
Only Burger Truck
Monuts Donuts Trike

Save the date for the next RTP Food Truck Rodeo on Thursday, February 9th!

Click here for pictures from the December Food Truck Rodeo

The Research Triangle Park: Plans for the Future

As most people know from past blog posts here, here, and here, the Research Triangle Foundation has been working diligently to ensure RTP is as ideal a home for innovative R&D companies in the next fifty years as it was in its first fifty years.  WRAL interviewed our new CEO, Bob Geolas, yesterday regarding our plans for the future of the Research Triangle Park.

As Bob very succinctly summarized in the video, ”RTP has played a transformational role in North Carolina. It’s going to continue to do that, and we’re excited about its future.”

We look forward to sharing more about the changes envisioned in the coming months.

Year in Review: RTP Expansions

RTI's Building O9, opened in 2011

It’s certainly been an eventful year for the Research Triangle Park.  There’s a lot we could talk about: grant funding and capital infusion, conferences and events, a new CEO for RTP.  But one of the most exciting topics has been growth and expansion over the past year. In 2011, over 750,000 sq.ft. of  new office and industrial space was announced by various Park companies. Several of these projects are now well into the construction phase, or even complete. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s been going on in 2011:

In September, Fidelity Investments purchased a group of four office buildings on NC Highway 54 formerly occupied by Nortel Networks. Fidelity is renovating the 676,000 sq.ft. of space, and will then consolidate its regional operations into one campus. This one purchase will go a long way towards reducing vacant space in RTP and rejuvenating its building stock.

Medicago held the ribbon cutting for its new $42 million, 97,000 sq.ft. facility in November. Breathing new life into North Carolina’s heritage, Medicago will produce influenza vaccines developed using tobacco leaves. Their cGMP facility has the capacity to produce more than 40 million doses of seasonal influenza vaccine or 120 million doses of pandemic influenza vaccine per year.

RTI International, our flagship research institute, held its grand opening for Building O9 in April. The office facility is a 127,000 sq.ft. companion to Building O8, completed several years earlier. Both facilities have been certified LEED Gold. RTI is now looking into opportunities to develop greenhouse space and a biocrude pilot production plant, either in RTP or nearby.

Syngenta Biotechnology is reinventing a site on Davis Drive that was home to one of the Research Triangle Park’s first buildings. Read more »

Good Vibrations – Innovation@rtp

Dr. Lane Miller, VP Global R&D, LORD Corp was the speaker at December 14th's Innovation@rtp event.

What do HAL DHRUV active vibration control systems, rubber to substrate adhesives, jet engine isolation systems, low-odor adhesives, UK-60 rod ends, highly resilient elastomers, and V-22 elastomeric bearings have in common? Well, besides being things for which I have no understanding, they’re all innovative solutions developed by pioneering employees at LORD Corporation.

Headquartered in Cary, LORD Corporation is the leader in the development and implementation of computer controlled systems for managing dynamic loads and motions for vehicles and aircraft. Now, LORD linear and rotary controllable damping technology is implemented on cars, trucks, marine craft, spacecraft, and civil structures worldwide.

On December 14^th, the Innovation@rtp speaker series was delighted to host Dr. Lane Miller, VP Global R&D for LORD Corp with a presentation entitled, “Active Control Solutions for Vibration and Motion (with a Soliloquy on Innovation).” While Dr. Miller gave us some fascinating insight into what his company does (including sharing some fun videos of Humvees on a test track), probably the most important aspect of the presentation was his take on the lessons they’ve learned and some best practices for accelerating innovation.

Dr. Miller's humorous example of someone being inventive, but not very innovative.

One of Dr. Miller’s key messages was to remind us that there is a difference between invention and innovation.  Invention is a clever or unique idea, while innovation deals more with converting technology into stakeholder value.   And often, it takes both of these things to produce results.

And while it’s just common sense to have the right people for the job, Dr. Miller went on to explain what that means in terms of innovation and his company.  He suggested looking for impatient technologists.  As odd as it sounds, it makes sense, because as he pointed out, combining a patient company with an impatient technologist produces results.  LORD Corp also looks for people that are more likely to adapt quickly to changes, more apt to champion someone else’s ideas, and can be introspective regarding their own weaknesses.  Finally, these problem solvers need to understand the business plan, and further, be willing to challenge that plan. Read more »

Hit the Road! Triangle Parkway Opens

David Joyner and Gene Conti unveil Triangle Parkway

Following months of construction and years of careful planning, Triangle Parkway is now officially open to the public. The 3.5-mile highway serves as a southern extension of the Durham Freeway (147) connecting I-40 to 540. It is the initial leg of the Triangle Expressway, North Carolina’s first modern toll road, which will continue on to Apex and Holly Springs by this time next year. Toll collection transponders are on sale now through NC Quick Pass. However, Triangle Parkway is free to drive on from now until January 3, offering the perfect opportunity to test out the new route.

The official ribbon-cutting on December 8 featured speeches from Gene Conti, State Secretary of Transportation, and David Joyner, Executive Director of the NC Turnpike Authority. Each gave a round of thank you’s to the many partners who worked hard to make Triangle Parkway a reality. North Carolina has seen its fair share of highway openings, but they likened this experience to having a first child. This much-needed road was nearly postponed for several decades due to limited State funding. Saving it meant re-imagining it as a toll project. But that required buy-in from a reluctant public. Getting construction underway was only possible with region-wide support. Mr. Joyner and Mr. Conti acknowledged the many communities who had signed a joint resolution endorsing the Triangle Parkway, ‘paving the way’ for construction. These included town and county governments, local Chambers of Commerce, and the Research Triangle Foundation.

As we’ve mentioned before, the Triangle Parkway project is significant for its commuting and economic development benefits. The ribbon-cutting ceremony also touched on some other noteworthy aspects of the project. First is the team effort mentioned above, where state and local leaders worked together to reach an important milestone for our region. Read more »