The State of North Carolina and the health of its economy increasingly depend on innovation that starts new enterprises, grows existing companies and draws industry from around the world. Much of this innovation depends on advancements in the fields of science and technology. For over 60 years, North Carolina has capitalized on science and technology’s outsized impact on the state’s competitiveness, economic growth, and overall standard of living. But there is evidence to suggest that we are falling behind. The 2013 Science Summit, a signature event of the annual North Carolina Science Festival held on April 11, 2013, was led by the Institute for Emerging Issues in collaboration with the Kenan Institute and other business, university and non-profit partners provided a platform for science and technology leaders to focus the attention of business and policy makers on the importance of strengthening science and technology capacities across the state.
The Science Summit Partnership consists of 26 organizations working on different aspects of the science and technology pipeline. The focus of the partnership is to use a cross-sector science and technology voice, create an annual opportunity to collectively capture the public’s attention, and influence policy and decision-making at the state and local levels. Over 120 inaugural summit participants generated ideas that offer innovative solutions and concrete actions to meet North Carolina’s future science and technology needs. Summit attendees identified top strategies to bolster science and technology in our state.
