Case Studies for the Research Triangle Foundation’s Global Convergence Center

As the Research Triangle Foundation proceeds to implement its 2011 Master Plan for the Research Triangle Park (RTP), the Global Convergence Center will likely play an important role as a centerpiece and symbol for the park. The Foundation envisions the Convergence Center as a campus for cutting-edge, collaborative research that serves as a common ground where Triangle university researchers can work together. In addition to building RTP’s reputation as a premier research hub in both the United States and the world, the Convergence Center could contribute to local economic development by leading to entrepreneurial spin-offs from the research conducted at the center. This paper seeks to help answer what the Research Triangle Foundation can do to develop a center that is cutting-edge, collaborative, and draws on local talent. We explore three case studies: the MIT Media Lab, multi-university teams, and RTI International. The MIT Media Lab serves as an example of cutting-edge research. The study of multi-university teams provides insight on effective collaboration, and RTI International serves as an example of how an organization attracted local talent. These case studies point to some best practices that may guide the Foundation’s design of the Convergence Center. Best Practices:

1. Select a leader for the Convergence Center that has deep relationships with the Triangle universities and has worked across academia and industry.
2. Develop a unifying vision for research that the Convergence Center will host.
3. Ensure researchers and administrators have ample opportunity to develop relationships with industry.
4. Reduce faculty concern about working with industry by creating processes that match faculty interests with market or industry needs.
5. Reduce and eliminate the organizational boundaries that researchers must work across.
6. Recruit diverse teams from uncommonly grouped areas of research.
7. Recruit prestigious researchers and leverage their reputation to attract more talent and research dollars.
8. Ensure that the Global Convergence Center offers a unique research opportunity that cannot be found at local universities.