This October marks Valutek's 25th anniversary of supporting high-tech manufacturers with their cleanroom consumables: the gloves, "bunny suits," wipes and other products that keep operators clean in their critical environment. During that time, the one constant I have observed is change.
I was attracted to move my company from Arizona to New York because Gov. Andrew Cuomo recognizes the changing landscape within the high-tech environment. His vision for creating a leading innovation economy fueled by nanotechnology is a winning strategy.
That strategy is exemplified by the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering's first-of-its-kind model combining academia, industry and government. CNSE provides a unique collaborative environment where next-generation technologies can be developed. That I relocated to New York is evidence that CNSE's model works.
One of the important aspects of that model is an intellectual property policy that gives corporate partners the ability to innovate without risk of losing ownership and control of the intellectual property.
Industry is typically hesitant to develop intellectual property on a university campus because of concern over its future ownership. Another is the ability to share the burden of the rising cost of innovation.
Given the complexity of the global economy, particularly in high tech, anything that will allow CNSE to become more nimble, more responsive and more relevant to the 21st century way of doing business should be taken advantage of. If establishing CNSE as a separate university does that, then I say giving CNSE autonomy is a win for the college itself, the state University of New York system, New York and the industrial partners who are driving the innovation and job creation.
Gregory J. Heiland
President / CEO, Valutek
Albany and Phoenix