Science Trust, Georgia Tech partnering to open institute
The Science District spans several miles in San Juan.
The Science, Research and Technology Trust is set to sign an agreement with the Georgia Institute of Technology to establish the Puerto Rico Institute for Research and Economic Development, to facilitate collaboration between industry and academia to promote research and development of marketable technologies, Economic Development and Commerce Secretary José Pérez-Riera said Thursday.
The partnership with Georgia Tech will provide the technical knowledge of one of the most reputable research centers worldwide and, in turn, promote the integration between our scientific community and industry in the areas of biotechnology, bioengineering, pharmaceutical manufacturing, high technology, logistics and distribution, he said, during the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce’s
E-4 Summit.
The Institute will be located in the Science District, near the Medical Center area and the University of Puerto Rico’s Molecular Sciences building in San Juan. The first phase of the project will begin Oct. 1 with a workshop by Georgia Tech representatives, he said.
The proposed institute will initially focus on three areas: collaborative research, professional education and development initiatives that foster entrepreneurship based on the commercialization of intellectual property.
“Puerto Rico has the basics in these areas and Georgia Tech has the expertise and experience, in addition to the two main biotechnology schools and the first industrial engineering school in the United States,” said Rafael L. Bras, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at Georgia Tech.
