Summer Spotlight: FIRST Louisiana
FIRST Louisiana framework and associated disciplines, with a photo of Dr. Guice. Click image to expand
The 21st century economy depends on universities within states as engines of innovation. Louisiana is embracing this challenge through strategic investments which will harness its resources to capitalize on technologies of the future. Inspired by the conceptualization of Dr. Les Guice, Vice-President of Research and Development at Louisiana Tech, a State Science and Technology Plan is being developed to help shape Louisiana’s technological future. The Fostering Innovation through Research in Science and Technology in Louisiana (FIRST Louisiana) plan has been refined through illuminating meetings with research leaders from campuses across the State. The statewide framework, broadly supported by colleges and universities, was approved by the Board of Regents at its January 2010 meeting.
The FIRST Louisiana plan builds on Louisiana’s long history of strategic investments to provide direction for the next twenty years. Its vision is that by 2025, Louisiana’s universities will lead the State’s dynamic innovation economy through the advancement of science and technology research and education. Louisiana’s colleges and universities have been building capacity and capitalizing on opportunities for more than 20 years and are already positioned to be in the vanguard of innovation and technology development.
To promote awareness and understanding of this important plan, the Board of Regents is currently in the process of producing an S&T video to feature the conceptualization of the plan, and demonstrate its potential impact through profiles of research faculty and resources which are the backbone of its success.