Make Your Silence Heard: 2012 Ride of Silence

By Blanche Dean, Guest Blogger from Team MSFITS.

On May 16, 2012 at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence will begin in North America and roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists (and the obligation to follow the same rules of the road as motorists), the motoring public often isn’t aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves.

Please join Team MSFITS as they host the 7^th Annual RTP Ride of Silence starting and finishing at RTP Headquarters, 12 Davis Drive, RTP.  The Research Triangle Foundation has once again granted us permission to stage the ride at their facility and they are endorsing this ride.  The Durham Police Reserves will once again lead our procession, adding dignity and safety to our journey.

The Ride of Silence is a free ride, approximately 5 miles in length, that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph, wear helmets, follow the rules of the road and remain silent during the ride. There are no sponsors and no registration fees. The ride, which is held during National Bike Month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for and honor the lives of those who have been killed or injured.

I know you’ve been out there riding and had things thrown at you, been “buzzed” by a motor vehicle trying to see how close they could get, been screamed at to get off the road, and worse.  You may have been injured and probably know someone or of someone who has died as a result of a motor vehicle/bicycle crash.  THIS is the ride to show your solidarity as a cycling community – to raise awareness and say “shame on you” to those who carelessly travel our roads without regard to life or limb.

We will supply black armbands to all cyclists to wear in memory of those who have been killed and red armbands to those cyclists who join us and are survivors of motor vehicle/bicycle accidents.  Please arrive early enough to prepare yourself and your bike to ride, to sign waivers, and participate in a tribute to cyclists before we head out at 7:00 sharp.  Read more »

May Food Truck Rodeo

Join us for the RTP Food Truck Rodeo
on
Thursday, May 17^th

Calling all Food Truck fans! Bring your friends, bring your colleagues, and come on out for RTP’s May Food Truck Rodeo.

Date: Thursday, May 17
Time: 11:30 AM -1:30 PM
Location: RTP Headquarters, 12 Davis Drive (Directions)

In honor of National Bike Month and Bike to Work Week, SmartCommute@rtp will be providing free gifts to anyone that rides their bike to the event and providing useful information on bicycle commuting.

Participating Food Trucks:

Pie Pushers
@piepushers

Only Burger
@onlyburger

The Parlour
@parlourdurham

Chirba Chirba Dumpling
@chirbachirba

Will and Pops
@willandpops

Olde North State BBQ
@ONSBBQ

As always, parking is limited so we strongly encourage carpooling, and of course, riding your bike to the event!

We look forward to seeing everyone!

AND save the date for next Food Truck Rodeo on Thursday, June 14^th!

GSK Associates Share Their Talents and Learn From Experience

Did You Know…

GSK established its PULSE Program in 2009, dedicated to providing opportunities for employees to use their skills and experience to contribute to global communities in need while strengthening their own leadership skills and potential.  Volunteers are immersed in a three or six month experience within a non-profit or non-governmental organization and work to make a positive, sustainable difference.  Generating improvements and solutions in health, education and the environment, PULSE has placed approximately 200 employees from 26 countries, working with 58 non-profits and NGOs in 39 countries. 

Not only does the program make a contribution and sustainable difference to organizations it serves, volunteer feedback demonstrates that PULSE has a positive influence on their performance at GSK when they return.  Truly the GSK PULSE Program brings a whole new meaning to the term “human resources”!

Please click here to learn more about the GSK Pulse Program.

What Goes Around Comes Around…

In the cast of the International Space Station that’s 15.7 times per day!  Last Friday attendees at the Destination Station Science and Technology Research Panel held at the RTP Headquarters had the opportunity to learn details about life aboard the ISS from Astronaut Bill McArthur, a veteran of four space flights, with over 224 days logged in space.  Discussion included first-hand photos and video footage. 

Dr. Tara Ruttley, Associate Program Scientist for the International Space Station Program was also on the panel and spoke about the experiments and discoveries made aboard the space station and its benefit to life on earth. 

Following the program there was an opportunity for guests to ask questions and speak with panel members individually…A great event!  

Gear up for Bike Month: May 2012

Let’s face it: we live in an automobile-centric nation, and I don’t think I’d be surprising anyone in saying that the Triangle isn’t necessarily the ideal place to commute to and from work by bike.  However, that certainly doesn’t mean that it’s not possible to ride your bike to work; nor does it mean that the Triangle isn’t a bicycle friendly community. In fact, the town of Carrboro has received a silver designation for being a bicycle friendly community from the League of American Bicyclists; and Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh have all received bronze designations. Clearly, bicycle commuting in the Triangle is growing in popularity and amenities to support it are also growing.

For the month of May, the Triangle is celebrating Bike To Work Month, an entire month dedicated to encouraging and supporting one of the most economical and healthy ways of commuting. This month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons people ride. Whether you bike to work or school; to save money or time; to preserve your health or the environment; to explore your community or get to your destination, biking can be one of the most rewarding modes of transportation. And if you’ve been thinking about starting to ride to work, but haven’t put your foot to the pedal yet, I hope you’ll use this month to give it a go.

There are lots of events going on in the Triangle to celebrate Bike to Work Month, including several events in RTP, sponsored by SmartCommute@rtp:

• Bicycle Community Basics – Lunch and Learn
  Thursday, May 10, 11:30AM-1PM
  RTP Headquarters, 12 Davis Dr.
  This seminar will cover the basics of commuting by bicycle, safe cycling, riding in traffic, crash avoidance, and cyclists’ rights and responsibilities. The course is open to anyone and both novice and experienced riders are welcome and encouraged to attend. Registration Required.

• Bike to Work Month After-Hours Social
  Tuesday, May 15, 5-7PM
  Serena, 5311 South Miami Blvd. Suite A
  Cyclists enjoy free appetizers, drinks, and giveaways.

• Ride of Silence
  Wednesday, May 16, 7PM
  RTP Headquarters, 12 Davis Dr.
  A silent procession to honor cyclists who’ve been killed or injured on public roadways. Organized by MS Fits and hosted by SmartCommute@rtp, this free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph, wear helmets, follow the rules of the road and remain silent during the ride. Visit www.msfits.org/ride-of-silence.html for more information.

• Bike to Work Month Breakfast Social
  Friday, May 18, 7-9AM
  RTP Headquarters, 12 Davis Dr.
  Cyclists enjoy a free continental breakfast and giveaways.

For a complete list of the Bike to Work Month events occuring Triangle-wide, visit GoTriangle. And for more information and resources on biking in the RTP area, visit SmartCommute.org.

RTP: Diverse and Growing

It’s that time of year again…RTP Directory time!  I know I know, that totally flopped, and a directory is only so exciting on the surface, BUT, the aggregation of the data tells a great story.  Check this out…

Number of Companies

• Holding steady at 170+

Employment Increase

• Between early 2011 and 2012, RTP added about 1400 full-time employees, with total employment now well over 39,000
• We’re getting a better handle on contract workers and estimate that including those, the Park’s population is closer to 43,000-44,000.  

Industry breakdown

• About half of RTP companies (45%) fall in the Biotech/Life Sciences category (which includes Ag-bio). These companies represent 23% of RTP employment. Many of our start-ups and early stage companies fall into the Life Sciences category as well.
• The second largest category is Information Technology, with 18% of companies representing 49% of RTP employment.
• RTP is home to 17 Scientific Associations and Institutes
• Other companies classify themselves as either Materials Sciences & Engineering, Clean & Green Technologies, Financial and Insurance Activities, Business and Professional Services, Other Service Providers.

 Size breakdown

• 43% of companies have fewer than 10 employees
• 88% of companies have fewer than 250 employees
• The median company size in RTP is 10.5 employees
• More than 75 companies in RTP are located in one of the 5 incubators/accelerators

 LEED development

• 8 buildings in RTP are LEED certified and 5 are LEED registered
• Several projects under construction will seek LEED

 Patents/Trademarks

• Through the end of 2011, RTP companies have been issued 3,549 patents and 1,854 trademarks

As you can see, the Park continues to grow and the companies that call RTP home continue to do amazing things!  If you’d like to read up on who’s who in RTP, visit our website and click on the RTP Directory promo button in the bottom right hand corner.

Applied Research and Technology that Goes Above and Beyond

The International Space Station is not just about space exploration.  With over 400 experiments conducted on the ISS, this unique platform continues to enable researchers from all over the world to put their talents to work, providing opportunities for partners in industry and academia.  Fifty-nine countries participated in ISS utilization through 2010.

In the areas of human health, telemedicine, education and observations of Earth from space, there are already demonstrated benefits to human life. Vaccine development research, station-generated images that assist with disaster relief and farming, and education programs that inspire future scientists, engineers and space explorers are just some of the documented research benefits.  A few specific examples of discoveries to date:

• Microcapsules for drugs with desirable properties developed on the ISS were reproduced on Earth and are now successful in targeting delivery of anti-cancer drugs to successfully shrink tumors.
• Naval Research and Boeing have used ISS materials to test and shorten development time for satellite hardware companies by as much as 50%.
• Technologies developed for the ADVASC™ greenhouse on the ISS led to new technology on Earth resulting in systems successful in killing 98% of airborne pathogens for food preservation, homes and offices.

Disciplines that use the ISS Lab include Biology and Biotech, Human Physiology and Performance, Physical Sciences, Technology Development and Demonstration, Earth & Space Science and Education.    Link to more info.

Clearly the International Space Station benefits and opportunities are far-reaching … all the way back to life on Earth! 

To learn more about the International Space Station please join us for the Destination Station Science and Technology Research Panel featuring Astronaut Bill McArthur and Dr. Tara Ruttley of the International Space Station : 

Friday, April 27^th 

RTP Headquarters, 12 Davis Drive 

2:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Click here to register.

Calling All Science Attentive: Week 2 of the NC Science Festival

The Research Triangle region and North Carolina have long been accustomed to having ample opportunities to test their science knowledge and feed their interest in STEM. The grand opening of the Nature Research Center at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences this weekend and the third iteration of the NC Science Festival have proven this to the Nth degree. And there’s even more on tap as we enter the final week of the Festival.

For the RTP community in particular, it will be a week full of Earth Day celebrations, art and science and even visits by astronauts. Here’s a snapshot of what’s in store this week:

• Earth Day.  The 2012 Green Business Challenge kicks off today in honor of Earth Day. This afternoon’s event will feature a networking social, program overview, green resources and guest speakers. Registration for the event closed April 18, but the region-wide initiative will continue through the year to educate, encourage and provide resources to achieve energy, water and waste reductions, as well as make smarter choices in purchasing and work-related travel. For more information on the Challenge, visit their website.
• RTP Night at the Nasher. April 26 if almost here. As noted in earlier blogs, employees at RTP companies who show their business card will be admitted into the special exhibit on the works of Alexander Calder free from 5:00 – 9:00 PM on Thursday. See what happens when an engineer finds a second career in art.
• Destination Station. The NASA Johnson Space Center will host Destination Station: Science and Technology Research Panel on Friday, April 27 at the RTP HQ. The event is free & open to the public and will include presentations from NASA Scientists, astronauts and technology researchers. This event will be focused on how private-sector companies can get involved with the space station. NASA astronaut Bill McArthur will lead the afternoon discussion (after which he’ll throw out the first pitch at the Durham Bulls game). Please RSVP for the here.

And if that weren’t enough, individual companies are hosting other events and adding to the calendar of RTP-based Science Festival activities. A special thanks and shout-out to RTI International and Biogen Idec for hosting groups from Citizen Schools to give them a firsthand look at STEM in action.

For more information on these events and other activities in RTP, please visit our events calendar.

Being Worldly Can Be A Challenge!

The Research Triangle Park is celebrating Earth Day Monday, April 23^rd, partnering with the Triangle Green Business Challenge Program in their Kick-Off Event at the Research Triangle Park Headquarters.

April 23, 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm

RTP Headquarters, 12 Davis Drive

Festivities will include guest speakers, food, beverages and raffles!

The Challenge encourages local businesses to improve their efficiency and sustainability, offering free training and resources to participants throughout the course of the event (April 23 – December 7, 2012) towards achieving their own desired goals.  The eight-month program concludes with an award ceremony in December recognizing the most successful businesses.   

To learn more about The Triangle Challenge please click here.

Being greener in business is something we all profit from.  Not only do participants in these programs save money by improving resource quality and efficiencies – we all benefit.  First year participants in a Chicago Challenge achieved saving 55,000 metric tons of CO2 and cut back on $5 million in energy savings!  Clearly these types of efforts have far-reaching effects both environmentally and economically…making us all winners!

The Science of Food: April Food Truck Rodeo

Join us for the RTP Food Truck Rodeo

Gear up for Earth Day, learn about various events going on in the Research Triangle during the  2012 NC Science Festival, and donate a book to “Books on Break” and make sure a needy child has books over the summer

 WHEN:          Thursday, April 19, 2012

Time:              11:30 AM -1:30 PM

Location:       RTP Headquarters, 12 Davis Drive (Directions)

Participating Food Trucks:

• Pie Pushers: @piepushers
• Only Burger: @onlyburger
• The Parlour: @parlourdurham
• Chirba Chirba Dumpling: @chirbachirba
• Valentinos: @valentinotruck
• Triangle Raw Foods: @TriangleRawFood

 As always, parking is limited so we strongly encourage carpooling.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

 AND save the date for next Food Truck Rodeo on Thursday, May 17th!