LAKELAND, Fla. 鈥� IM体育官网 is appropriated $5 million in the State Legislature鈥檚 education budget to begin work on a brand new Applied Research Center on its Lakeland campus. The center will house research laboratories, teaching labs, and offices for IM体育官网 Poly faculty and students. It will also be the home of the Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship, which will help commercialize products and systems created from the University鈥檚 research.
The $5 million that was approved as part of the Legislature鈥檚 education budget will allow IM体育官网 Poly to begin the planning and architectural work on the center.
鈥淎t IM体育官网 Poly, we believe that innovation occurs when research and creativity are applied to real-world challenges,鈥� said University President Dr. Randy K. Avent. 鈥淭he Applied Research Center is the place where that vision becomes reality.鈥�
The center will be the hub of applied research by faculty, students and industry partners. It will provide researchers with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment for working on some of the most vexing technology related problems facing society.
The center鈥檚 funding must still be approved by the full House and Senate and then signed into law by Governor Rick Scott. This center was IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 top priority for the 2016 legislative session.
鈥淎ll of us at IM体育官网 Poly are extremely grateful for the support from the IM体育官网 Legislature,鈥� said Rick Maxey, IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 Director of Government Relations. 鈥淭he Applied Research Center means so much to the University. These state resources make it possible for us to take this first step toward making the center a reality.鈥�
The center will be located on the IM体育官网 Poly Campus in Lakeland just to the south of the iconic Innovation, Science and Technology building. It鈥檚 anticipated the Applied Research Center will be completed by the fall of 2020.
鈥淚M体育官网 Poly exists to catalyze economic development and to help meet the growing demand for high-tech talent and innovation in our state,鈥� said Senator Kelli Stargel of Lakeland. 鈥淭he Applied Research Center will play an important role in achieving that goal.鈥�
In addition to the Applied Research Center funding, the education budget also provides IM体育官网 Poly $2.5 million to fund the operations of the University鈥檚 Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship; as well as $1.5 million for anti-hazing programs. The Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship will provide the support needed for faculty and students to start companies, patent their innovations and create high-paying, high-tech jobs. In addition, researchers will meet individuals and firms who specialize in funding startup technology ventures.