Building Relationships

HudsonAlpha’s architecture draws accolades at international conference
 
The HudsonAlpha Institute was featured during the World Conference on Science and Technology Parks held in early June. Dr. O’Neal Smitherman, executive vice president of the institute and Mark Jensen, principal of Atlanta-based Cooper Carry Science and Technology, the architectural firm that designed the HudsonAlpha facility, participated in a panel that focused on the evolution of the built environment in research parks. According to Smitherman, discussions centered on creating spaces that enhance idea creation and commercialization of research discoveries.

“Facilities that co-locate successful biotech business talent and basic research talent are of great interest to many in the science park world,” noted Jensen. The presentation offered by Smitherman and Jensen focused on the physical environment at HudsonAlpha and how it advances the institute’s unique, three-fold mission of genomics research, educational outreach and economic development.
 
The conference brought together science park leaders from around the world to share lessons learned, trends and best practices. According to Jensen, over half of the approximately 900 attendees were from outside the U.S.
 
“I was pleased to learn that what we do in biotech and what Cummings Research Park does as a whole, competes favorably with similar organizations,” said Smitherman. HudsonAlpha is the cornerstone of the CRP Biotech Campus.
 
The conference, hosted by the International Association of Science Parks, took place at Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.