Lessons from North Carolina’s Research Triangle

Chronicle of Higher Education : In a commentary in the Chronicle, Art Padilla, who heads the department of management, innovation, and entrepreneurship at North Carolina State University (NCSU), recounts the history of the Research Triangle, a zone of science and technology R&D centered on Duke University, the University of North Carolina, and NCSU. The Research Triangle was founded in the 1960s, but began to flourish after the state government chose to support and invest in the zone during the financially troubled 1970s. Faced with greater financial challenges today, other states can learn from the Triangle’s history. Padilla asserts

The region’s successes and attractiveness are not due to chance. What we see today in the Triangle, including the economic vibrancy and opportunities for young people, reflects choices made decades ago by educational, business, and political leaders. What we will see in the futureâmdash;and what our grandchildren will inheritâmdash;depends on the choices we make now.