UTK dedicates newest building at its Research Park
Innovation South is an 85,000-square-foot facility.
Against a clear, bright blue, Friday afternoon October sky, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville ((UTK), celebrated the opening of the newest building at the UT Research Park (UTRP) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The 85,000-square-foot facility named Innovation South will be anchored by the university’s advanced
materials and manufacturing R&D with additional space for public and private sector collaborators. Among the soon-to-be tenants is the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI).
Dr. Brett Malone, the new UTRP President and Chief Executive Officer, described the role of research parks as being the “nexus of entrepreneurs, research, and big industry,” adding that the ribbon-cutting marked “a milestone in turning innovation into reality.”
But the quote of the day came from Dr. Uday Vaidya who declared, “This is even bigger than tomorrow’s (Alabama-Tennessee) game.” He indicated that the facility took longer than he wanted it to take, something that was addressed later in comments by Chancellor Donde Plowman who promised things would move more quickly in the future.
Noting that the event was most likely the largest ribbon-cutting in her history as Chancellor, she added, “There has never been a better time to be a Volunteer. We want to do big things, and we want to do them now.”
Others who spoke included Deb Crawford, Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development. She noted that “Innovation South is a microcosm of the innovation ecosystem developing here in greater Knoxville. Working with our private and public sector partners throughout the region, we are creating and supporting the growth of Tennessee companies and equipping Tennesseans of all ages with skills that lead to rewarding careers.”
In addition to UTK and IACMI, tenants slated to move into Innovation South include Cherokee Farm Development Corporation, New Day Diagnostics, Spark Innovation Center, Trimble, and the U.S. Forest Service.
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