Research universities, incubators of (urban) innovation

Abstract

The intellectual might and the creative and innovative spirit of the faculty and students at our research universities play a key role in providing the basis for many inventions and innovations that address pressing problems of today’s society. Many universities have built the vibrant culture and the nurturing environment that supports academic innovation and entrepreneurship and they have developed mechanisms that encourage and incentivize the translation of research breakthroughs into new products and processes. Urban environments, particularly big cities, face unprecedented challenges to address the needs of its citizens as more and more people move from rural parts of the world to cities in search of a better life and more economic opportunities. Securing reliable transportation of people and goods, adequate electrical power and water to satisfy the needs of the growing urban population, addressing the ever increasing waste disposal needs, maintaining the health and wellness of the general population, but especially of older adults and people with disabilities require a new paradigm for urban science, engineering, and innovation. Many universities have responded to this challenge and have developed research pillars around the challenges and opportunities that complex urban systems pose.