Bioindustrial Innovation Centre

Visiting another Research Park is a valuable and energizing experience.  Borrowing ideas, collaborating on common issues and creating relationships with other like-minded individuals are all benefits of traveling to other facilities.  It becomes apparent that not all research parks are the same.  The Director of the Purdue Research Park stated during the two day meeting, “If you see one park, you only see one park”.  This was a recurring theme when talking to other representatives from different research park communities.  Each park has its own nuances that differentiate itself from each other.  Community capacity development, proximity to education facilities and logistical support i.e. roads, airports, rail,  and other amenities allow for the growth of research parks - the Purdue Research Park has many of the key ingredients necessary for it to continue to be a world class research institution.  

Questions were asked by other US Midwest members on why London, Ontario would be interested attending the meeting.  The answer given was proximity and similar business projects interests: life sciences, advanced manufacturing and information technology.  The City of London and West Lafayette, Indiana have many similarities – especially with the focus on education and forging ahead in a knowledge based economy.  Even though London has 12 times the population size of West Lafayette (London’s 352, 395  to West Lafayette’s 27,664) both communities have received awards.  Home to Purdue University, West Lafayette was ranked one of the “smartest” (most educated) small cities in the country by Forbes in 2009.   With an estimated 47% of the community with advanced degrees, West Lafayette continues to draw experts to the community.  On the other hand London, Ontario has been ranked number one by MacLean’s Magazine for the best-managed city.  The University of Western Ontario, Robarts Research, Lawson Health Research Institute, London Health Science Centre and Fanshawe College boasts some of the premier research and discovery programs in the world.  Southwestern Ontario also enjoys similar regional attributes as the Midwestern United States.  Agriculture, manufacturing and education are all key sectors for past and current economic growth.   Having close proximity to the University of Western Ontario does allow for collaboration with the Research Park London Campus.  The Sarnia location of the Research Park continues to benefit from the contact with the petroleum and bio-industrial industry communities.   Similar to our Research Park, The Purdue Research Park has multiple locations in Merrillville, Indianapolis, New Albany and West Lafayette.   The regional advantage of West Lafayette is the strategic location the transportation connections to I-65 and is 1 hour drive from Indianapolis and 2 hour hours from Chicago.  London is closely aligned to the 400 series highways and the International airport which has received approval for important expansion.

A point of interest from the Purdue Research Park visit was how the municipal government of West Lafayette is involved in the planning process for the park.  The Mayor and director of the Purdue Research Park meet on a weekly basis to discuss issue surrounding recruitment and retaining tenants.  According to the 2007 Battelle report a future direction of research parks, there will be increasing mixed-use development, including commercial and residential projects.  At the Purdue Research Park, they have developed a residential area that currently houses some of their park employees.  Working with the West Lafayette City Council on this particular project has benefited other collaborative initiatives.   The Research Park Sarnia Campus has also welcomed the close relationship it has with the local politicians.  The municipal government in Sarnia understand the value of the Research Park for generating employment and growing communities.

Future visits to other Research parks in the other areas of the continental United States can only improve the two locations in London and Sarnia.   There are many research parks that need to be explored in the future including leading Asian and European models of Science and Technology Parks.  Creating relationships with other like-minded individuals, collaborating on common issues and borrowing ideas are all benefits of leaving the comfort zone of familiarity into a realm of discovery.   The statement, “If you see one park, you only see one park” is a cogent statement.  Promoting community capacity development remains the goal for both the London and Sarnia campus in order to continue as a world class research institution. 

For more information on Purdue Research Park, go to: www.purdueresearchpark.com