USF Research Park Wins McIntosh Award
TAMPA, Fla. (March 20, 2009) – The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council has awarded the University of South Florida Research Park the Charles A. McIntosh, Jr. Award of Distinction for its contribution to the local economy and for creating an exceptional environment for emerging businesses.
An independent award jury selected the research park from 44 applicants in the categories of: community service, cultural/sports/recreation, development, environment, infrastructure and public education. The award was presented today at the at the planning council’s 17th Annual Future of the Regions Awards luncheon at the Quorum Hotel in Tampa.
"We are extremely pleased that such a young research park has been recognized," said Karen Holbrook, USF's vice president for research. "The research park is so much more than simply ‘real estate’ – it is a place where the excitement of discovery and innovation serves as a magnet for others who want to be part of this growing enterprise. Our success is vested in our university entrepreneurs and investigators and our community partners."
The awards jury singled out the park as a unique hub for scientists, scholars and research and technology experts, saying the research park offers access to first-class university research and state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and infrastructure. The panel also noted USF's rankings as one of the top public research universities in the country and that the university fuels substantial economic growth in the Tampa Bay area and throughout Florida.
The park houses 20 early-stage companies in the Tampa Bay Technology Incubator working in the life sciences, engineering and software industries. The Incubator is part of USF CONNECT, a program tying together the elements of economic development at USF and assisting entrepreneurs with resources on intellectual property, management expertise and capital.
This award was named in honor of former Dade City Mayor, Charles A. McIntosh, Jr.
The University of South Florida is one of the nation's top 63 public research universities and one of 39 community-engaged four-year public universities as designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. USF was awarded more than $360 million in research contracts and grants in FY 2007/2008. The University offers 219 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. The University has a $1.8 billion annual budget, an annual economic impact of $3.2 billion, and serves more than 46,000 students on institutions/campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland. USF is a member of the Big East Athletic Conference.
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Barbara Melendez
News Coordinator
University Communications & Marketing
813-974-4563
bmelendez@admin.usf.edu
