April 2006
The Inland Northwest Science and Technology Connection: PNNL Director Len Peters Kicks Off First Season of Spokane STRT
Eighty-five people turned out for the opening breakfast of the Technology Alliance’s new Spokane Science & Technology Roundtable program on January 6th. Dr. Len Peters, director of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a member of the TA board, started off the season with a presentation on the latest research and important contributions of PNNL. He emphasized how the lab’s many partnerships in eastern Washington, on initiatives ranging from homeland security to agriculture to energy, are making a difference in our state, our nation and the world.
PNNL has grown steadily over the past several years, with both research expenditures and hiring at the lab on the rise. The lab performed a record $726 million worth of research in the last fiscal year, a figure Dr. Peters predicted would reach $1 billion by 2010. Battelle, which operates PNNL for the U.S. Department of Energy, presently has 4,200 staff at the lab, making it the second largest employer in eastern Washington. Dr. Peters predicted the number of lab employees will exceed 4,700 by 2010.
With its expanding research and workforce combined with the need to vacate existing facilities in the Hanford 300 area, Dr. Peters estimated the lab will require 800,000 square feet of new research space within the next four years. Recently, the Department of Energy authorized PNNL to move forward with the design of a new Physical Sciences Facility that will provide the lab with over 330,000 square feet devoted to radiological, materials science, and chemistry and processing capabilities. PNNL also will proceed with plans for computational sciences and biological sciences facilities as well as an addition to the Battelle life sciences building.
“When the facilities are built, the payoff will be great,” said Dr. Peters. “PNNL will be the Department of Energy’s most modern research facility, and that certainly is a positive for our region and state.”
He also described another exciting PNNL project, the new Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory (BSEL), which is the result of a partnership between the lab, Battelle and Washington State University and slated for construction this year on WSU’s Tri-Cities campus. BSEL will make vital contributions to our state’s agricultural industry, explained Dr. Peters, by serving as a major center for the development of processes to convert low-value agricultural waste into high-value chemicals as well as offering viticulture programs that will support the region’s growing wine industry. In addition, the facility will offer unique educational opportunities for students.
Dr. Peters went on to highlight the lab’s other strong collaborative ties in eastern Washington, noting that it partners with numerous organizations, institutions and companies in the region. As a member of the Northwest Coalition for a Safer America, PNNL has been working with several Spokane-based organizations on issues such as electric power security and agriculture, food and water security. He predicted that the coalition’s activities will become increasingly valuable to the region as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security looks to engage more closely with regional and local agencies.
Another area in which the lab collaborates with various partners is energy. The lab works with Gonzaga University and Avista Corporation as part of the Northwest Center for Electric Power Technologies (NCEPT), an initiative focused on joint research and training in cutting-edge power grid technologies. Dr. Peters suggested the collaboration on NCEPT will serve government and industry needs for training, test beds, and certification. In addition, PNNL is advising Gonzaga on the establishment of its new electric utility transmission and distribution line engineering program. The lab is also working with Spokane-based fuel cell manufacturer ReliOn to explore the application of magnetic resonance imaging to enable visualization of the distribution of water in the company’s proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells in order to improve longevity and performance.
“We truly value partners and look for opportunities to collaborate with a wide range of research organizations,” Dr. Peters said. Other collaborative initiatives involving the lab which he highlighted include the new Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship at WSU Tri-Cities, and the establishment of a Pacific Northwest Gigapop presence in Spokane.
To conclude his presentation, Dr. Peters discussed two areas in which he believes the lab and regional partners must continue to work together: economic development and technology commercialization. Citing PNNL’s history of providing technology assistance to businesses and organizations in and around Spokane and the relationships nurtured through regular visits with the area’s economic development and industry organizations, Dr. Peters suggested that the stakeholders can build upon these interactions and work even more effectively in the future. He also emphasized PNNL’s desire to move its science out of the laboratory and into the marketplace.
“Clearly, finding partners who have a strong understanding of the market, the connections to make commercialization happen, and the resources to execute is a challenge,” observed Dr. Peters. “But if we can match those attributes with a promising PNNL technology, then Spokane and all of eastern Washington win.”
“I think it is great that the Science & Technology Roundtable, which has been a big success in Seattle for eight years, has crossed the Cascades and come to Spokane,” Dr. Peters told the audience. “I heartily encourage each of you to attend these roundtable meetings and become familiar with the science and technology developments that are occurring throughout our state.”
The inaugural season of Spokane STRT continues through May. For more information, click here.
Innovation & Inspiration: Celebrating 10 Years of Forward Thinking at the 2006 State of Technology Luncheon, Featuring Amazon.com Founder Jeff Bezos
- Monday, May 15, 2006
- The Westin, Seattle
- Networking & registration: 11:00 am
- Doors open: 11:30 am
- Luncheon program: 11:45 am – 1:30 pm
In the mid 1990’s, Jeff Bezos was inspired by a burgeoning innovation called the Internet to make his way from New York to Seattle to set up shop as Amazon.com. In the company’s initial month of operation, Jeff fielded customer orders from 50 states and nearly as many countries in Amazon’s very first fulfillment center: his garage. From this humble beginning, Jeff led Amazon into new and expanded territory, adding features and product offerings to become the online retail powerhouse we know and love today, as well as the ultimate Seattle startup success story.
On Monday, May 15, Jeff will sit down with Technology Alliance board member Ed Lazowska, Bill & Melinda Gates Chair in Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington, to share his thoughts on maintaining an innovative spirit, his drive to make Amazon “Earth’s most customer-centric company,” and staying competitive in the 21st century global economy.
Welcome New TA Board Members, and Thank You to Our Renewing Members!
Three outstanding individuals were elected to the TA board at its January 19th meeting. We are thrilled to welcome new members Dr. Christopher Elias, Karen Hedine and Cheryl Vedoe, and look forward to working with them to advance our organization’s mission.
STRT Podcasts and the Trumba Calendar
Catch the ones you missed, share your favorites with colleagues and friends, or discover for the first time what’s so special about the Science & Technology Roundtable with our new podcasts. And when you’re done, be sure not to miss future STRT breakfasts and other Technology Alliance events with the Trumba Calendar, another exciting new feature on the TA web site.
Dealing with Darwin: A luncheon workshop with bestselling author Geoffrey Moore
Mark your calendars! The Technology Alliance is proud to present a luncheon workshop with Geoffrey Moore, author of Dealing with Darwin: How Great Companies Innovate at Every Phase of Their Evolution on Thursday, July 13th at the Westin in Seattle.