New Battelle Center will drive science and technology innovation
Watch a slideshow from the Center's open house
kick off celebration.
“Innovation in science and technology tends to come from the collaboration and cooperation of people from different disciplines working together,” says Dr. Caroline Wagner, the new director of the Battelle Center and Wolf Chair at Ohio State. By pairing the research capabilities of Battelle and Ohio State, she explains, the Battelle Center hopes “to become a center that links together, with some synergy, the science and technology areas of importance that create jobs and also to lead in scholarship in science and technology policy." The Battelle Center will focus on key policy areas, including energy, the environment, communications, climate change and health. At the local level, the center will bring its expertise to bear on questions related to manufacturing, math and science education and the local environment.
The Battelle Center will look for opportunities to increase the efficiency of research by encouraging links between the researchers in many disciplines at Ohio State and researchers at Battelle. Beyond these two institutions, the center hopes to increase connections between the public and private sector, infusing private sector companies with knowledge that they may not have the time or resources to pursue on their own and fueling job creation. “If you think about [science and technology] as solutions and tools, it is the basis of the knowledge economy,” notes Wagner.
This is not the first partnership between Battelle and the Glenn School, in 2006 the Battelle Center for Mathematics and Science Education Policy was established to bringing together individuals in higher education with leaders in K-12, business, technology and government to develop policies and practices that increase the number of students prepared to be leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. That work will continue as part of the Battelle Center for Science and Technology Policy.
Dr. Blake Thompson, vice president for the Battelle/Ohio State collaboration, believes that working with the Glenn School will help the center reach policy makers. “The John Glenn School and the Battelle public policy operation give us tremendous outlets to influence policy and to engage with policy makers, both on the local level—in Ohio—and nationally in Washington D.C.”
As the center continues to develop, Dr. Wagner invites input and ideas about areas where the Battelle Center might work. To learn more about the Battelle Center for Science & Technology Policy go to battellecenter.org.
The Ohio State University is one of the largest universities in the United States and is a leading research university and the model for the state of Ohio's public higher education institutes. Learn more about Ohio State at osu.edu.
The Battelle Memorial Institute is the world’s largest non-profit independent research and development organization. Battelle partners with government, industry and communities to provide innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Battelle’s areas of expertise include education, laboratory management, national security, energy technology and health and life sciences. To lean more about Battle go to battelle.org.
The John Glenn School of Public Affairs prepares students for careers in the public and non-profit sectors. The Glenn School offers a Bachelor of Arts in Public Affairs, master’s degree programs, a doctoral program and a variety of dual and joint degree programs in collaboration with other Ohio State University colleges and departments. To lean more go to glenn.osu.edu.
