Excerpt

What policies and organizations are helping to drive innovation-based business formation, employment, and economic growth in Illinois? To address this question, the National Academies Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy (STEP), in cooperation with the National Cancer Institute and the International Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University convened a conference of state business, academic, and political leaders as well as high-level U.S. government officials to highlight the accomplishments, challenges, and opportunities of the Illinois innovation ecosystem. The conference highlighted the contributions of Illinois universities in generating research, creating new businesses, and attracting talent to the state. Participants also considered how national and international models for innovation and cluster development could be adapted in Illinois.

Contents

• THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
• Committee on Competing in the 21st Century: Best Practice in State and Regional Innovation Initiatives
• Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy (STEP)
• Preface
• I. OVERVIEW
  • Overview
    • A THE NATURE OF AN INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
    • B BUILDING THE ILLINOIS INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
    • C CREATING INNOVATION UNIVERSITIES
    • D BUILDING INNOVATION PARTNERSHIPS
    • E SUPPORTING INNOVATION AT THE STATE HOUSE
    • F DRIVING INNOVATION AT FEDERAL AGENCIES
    • G FOSTERING INNOVATION HUBS AND CLUSTERS
    • H ENCOURAGING INNOVATIVE START-UPS
    • I TRAINING A SKILLED WORKFORCE
    • J BUILDING INNOVATION COMMUNITIES IN ILLINOIS
    • K OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
    • L BUILDING ON SUCCESS
• II. PROCEEDINGS
  • DAY 1
    • Welcome and Introduction
      • Chad Mirkin Northwestern University
      • Joseph T. Walsh Northwestern University
    • Opening Keynote: The Illinois Innovation Opportunity
      • The Honorable Patrick Quinn Governor of Illinois
    • Panel I: The Overall Innovation Challenge
      Alicia Loffler, Moderator.
      • THE GLOBAL INNOVATION IMPERATIVE
      • AN OVERVIEW OF FEDERAL CLUSTER POLICY
      • ILLINOIS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COALITION
      • A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE IT INDUSTRY
      • DISCUSSION
    • Keynote: Innovation and the Clean Energy Challenges
      Eric Toone.
      • DISCUSSION
    • Panel II: Federal R&D Strategies
      Tyrone Taylor, Moderator.
      • THE NSF ROLE IN THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
      • THE OFFICE OF NAVAL RESEARCH: A UNIQUE INNOVATION ORGANIZATION
      • ADVANCING INNOVATION AND CONVERGENCE IN CANCER RESEARCH
      • DISCUSSION
    • Panel III: Illinois Innovation Initiatives
      William Testa, Moderator.
      • INSPIRING INNOVATION
      • ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN SUPPORT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
      • DRIVING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ILLINOIS
      • DISRUPTIVE ENVIRONMENTS THAT SEED DISCOVERY AND PROMOTE TRANSLATION
      • THE BENCH TO BEDSIDE STORY OF ONCOFERTILITY
      • DISCUSSION
  • DAY 2
    • Welcome and Introduction
      Julio Ottino.
    • Keynote Address
      Norbert Riedel.
      • DISCUSSION
    • Panel IV: Innovation in Illinois: A Regional Case Study
      Daniel Biss, Moderator.
      • THE ROLE OF ILLINOIS UNIVERSITIES
      • THE FEDERAL LABORATORY CONTRIBUTION
      • EARLY-STAGE FINANCE AND SUPPORT IN ILLINOIS
      • TECHNOLOGY-BASED DEVELOPMENT IN ILLINOIS
      • DISCUSSION
    • Panel V: New Initiatives and Best Practices in Innovation
      Chris Fall, Moderator.
      • Tim Persons Government Accountability Office
      • INNOVATIVE APPROACHES IN ONCOLOGY: PHYSICAL SCIENCES PERSPECTIVES
      • NEW INITIATIVES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
      • UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER: LESSONS LEARNED FROM Lyrica™
      • BUILDING AN INSTITUTE FOR ENGINEERING INNOVATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO AND ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY
      • DISCUSSION
    • Panel VI: The Industry Perspective on Illinois
      Van Crocker, Moderator.
      • INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE ON ILLINOIS
      • MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS
      • DISCUSSION
    • Roundtable: Best Practices, Lessons, and Opportunities
• III. APPENDIXES
  • Appendix A Agenda
  • Appendix B Biographies of Speakers (as of June 2012)
  • Appendix C Participants List (speakers in italics)
  • Appendix D Bibliography

Rapporteur: Charles W. Wessner

This study was supported by: Contract/Grant No. DE-DT0000236, TO #28 (base award DE-AM01-04PI45013), between the National Academy of Sciences and the Department of Energy; and Contract/Grant No. N01-OD-4-2139, TO #250 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institutes of Health. This report was prepared by the National Academy of Sciences under award number SB134106Z0011, TO# 4 (68059), from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This report was prepared by the National Academy of Sciences under award number 99-06-07543-02 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Economic Development Administration, or the U.S. Department of Commerce. Additional support was provided by The International Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University, The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition, the Heinz Endowments, the Association of University Research Parks, Acciona Energy, Dow Corning, IBM, and SkyFuel, Inc.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.