The emerging Innovation District on The Ohio State University’s West Campus, which is set to propel research advancements and economic growth, took another major step forward in its development with a significant financial push from the state and JobsOhio.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in February helped announce the rapidly developing district will receive a large portion of a $100 million investment from JobsOhio, a nonprofit economic-development corporation in central Ohio.
“This strategic partnership with JobsOhio will create new opportunities for our faculty, staff and student researchers and entrepreneurs, further positioning central Ohio as a leader to develop the exciting potential at the interfaces of biomedical and computer science and engineering research,” said University President Kristina M. Johnson. “In addition, we will work with JobsOhio to grow the STEM talent pool, and educate a new generation of students who will continue to thrive in our growing economy.”
The Energy Advancement and Innovation Center will help anchor this new district just west of the Olentangy River. It will be centered on finding innovative solutions for energy reduction and encouraging new collaborations to propel the next generation of convergent energy research and technology development.
The center is set to be a hub where Ohio State faculty members, students, alumni, ENGIE researchers, local entrepreneurs and industry experts work together on the next generation of smart energy systems, renewable energy and green mobility solutions.
Ohio State researchers are already working to advance next-generation convergent energy research and tech development at IMR’s Energy Innovation Lab at Nanotech West Laboratory. Leading the lab are Jung-Hyun Kim and Vicky Doan-Nguyen, both of whom are assistant professors hired through the Materials and Manufacturing for Sustainability Discovery Theme, operated by the Institute for Materials Research (IMR).
The Visionary Project Advisory Committee was formed early in the conceptual stages to guide the university in the governance of the center’s development. Jay Sayre, who serves as Assistant Vice President in the Office of Research and Director of Innovation in the Institute for Materials Research (IMR), chairs the committee, which is composed of Ohio State, OSEP, and Columbus community members.
“We envision the Energy Advancement and Innovation Center as a vehicle to propel innovation beyond the R&D stage to commercial successes in the market where everyone can benefit,” Sayre said. “This will be a place where our students will benefit by connecting with the creativity of faculty, staff, ENGIE researchers, and our local community to leave a lasting, impactful legacy on our academic mission.”
The Energy Advancement and Innovation Center is expected to consist of a myriad of spaces on multiple floors, including a section for ENGIE’s 12th global R&D facility, all housed under a canopy of solar panels.
The center will be one of a pair of buildings, along with the Interdisciplinary Research Facility, set to be located west of Kenny Road and south of Lane Avenue. Framework 2.0, the university’s long-term planning vision, had already identified this area for a future innovation district.
The project is a cornerstone of the university’s public-private partnership with Ohio State Energy Partners (OSEP). As part of the agreement, OSEP committed $50 million for the project, including $35 million in design and construction costs.
Serdar Tufekci, who was the first CEO of OSEP and now serves as Head of Major Partnerships at ENGIE North America Inc., said last year that he was very excited to see the watershed project moving forward and that “…as a fellow Buckeye, I feel very lucky to be a part of the development of the innovation district.”
Read more about the Innovation District and the JobsOhio partnership at Ohio State News.
Article by Mike Huson, IMR Communications Coordinator
Contact: huson.4@osu.edu
Follow: @OhioStateIMR