- Rozovsky wins prestigious NSF Early Career Award
- UD students meet alumni, experience 'closing bell' at NYSE
- Newark Police seek assistance in identifying suspects in robbery
- Rivlin says bipartisan budget action, stronger budget rules key to reversing debt
- Stink bugs shouldn't pose problem until late summer
- Gao to honor Placido Domingo in Washington performance
- Adopt-A-Highway project keeps Lewes road clean
- WVUD's Radiothon fundraiser runs April 1-10
- W.D. Snodgrass Symposium to honor Pulitzer winner
- New guide helps cancer patients manage symptoms
- UD in the News, March 25, 2011
- For the Record, March 25, 2011
- Public opinion expert discusses world views of U.S. in Global Agenda series
- Congressional delegation, dean laud Center for Community Research and Service program
- Center for Political Communication sets symposium on politics, entertainment
- Students work to raise funds, awareness of domestic violence
- Equestrian team wins regional championship in Western riding
- Markell, Harker stress importance of agriculture to Delaware's economy
- Carol A. Ammon MBA Case Competition winners announced
- Prof presents blood-clotting studies at Gordon Research Conference
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month events, programs announced
- Stay connected with Sea Grant, CEOE e-newsletter
- A message to UD regarding the tragedy in Japan
- More News >>
- March 31-May 14: REP stages Neil Simon's 'The Good Doctor'
- April 2: Newark plans annual 'wine and dine'
- April 5: Expert perspective on U.S. health care
- April 5: Comedian Ace Guillen to visit Scrounge
- April 6, May 4: School of Nursing sponsors research lecture series
- April 6-May 4: Confucius Institute presents Chinese Film Series on Wednesdays
- April 6: IPCC's Pachauri to discuss sustainable development in DENIN Dialogue Series
- April 7: 'WVUDstock' radiothon concert announced
- April 8: English Language Institute presents 'Arts in Translation'
- April 9: Green and Healthy Living Expo planned at The Bob
- April 9: Center for Political Communication to host Onion editor
- April 10: Alumni Easter Egg-stravaganza planned
- April 11: CDS session to focus on visual assistive technologies
- April 12: T.J. Stiles to speak at UDLA annual dinner
- April 15, 16: Annual UD push lawnmower tune-up scheduled
- April 15, 16: Master Players series presents iMusic 4, China Magpie
- April 15, 16: Delaware Symphony, UD chorus to perform Mahler work
- April 18: Former NFL Coach Bill Cowher featured in UD Speaks
- April 21-24: Sesame Street Live brings Elmo and friends to The Bob
- April 30: Save the date for Ag Day 2011 at UD
- April 30: Symposium to consider 'Frontiers at the Chemistry-Biology Interface'
- April 30-May 1: Relay for Life set at Delaware Field House
- May 4: Delaware Membrane Protein Symposium announced
- May 5: Northwestern University's Leon Keer to deliver Kerr lecture
- May 7: Women's volleyball team to host second annual Spring Fling
- Through May 3: SPPA announces speakers for 10th annual lecture series
- Through May 4: Global Agenda sees U.S. through others' eyes; World Bank president to speak
- Through May 4: 'Research on Race, Ethnicity, Culture' topic of series
- Through May 9: Black American Studies announces lecture series
- Through May 11: 'Challenges in Jewish Culture' lecture series announced
- Through May 11: Area Studies research featured in speaker series
- Through June 5: 'Andy Warhol: Behind the Camera' on view in Old College Gallery
- Through July 15: 'Bodyscapes' on view at Mechanical Hall Gallery
- More What's Happening >>
- UD calendar >>
- Middle States evaluation team on campus April 5
- Phipps named HR Liaison of the Quarter
- Senior wins iPad for participating in assessment study
- April 19: Procurement Services schedules information sessions
- UD Bookstore announces spring break hours
- HealthyU Wellness Program encourages employees to 'Step into Spring'
- April 8-29: Faculty roundtable series considers student engagement
- GRE is changing; learn more at April 15 info session
- April 30: UD Evening with Blue Rocks set for employees
- Morris Library to be open 24/7 during final exams
- More Campus FYI >>
7:30 p.m., April 27, 2009----Delaware Gov. Jack Markell said high quality education is the most critical component of an economy driven by innovation and entrepreneurship.
Markell was delivering the keynote speech during the University of Delaware's conference, “Creating the Systems to Drive Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” held on Friday, April 24, on the Newark campus.
Citing a column by Thomas Friedman in The New York Times, which referred to a study by McKinsey & Co. that showed the U.S. lagging behind other countries in educational achievement, Markell said the U.S. is suffering an “incredibly significant and negative impact” from the education gap.
“Our students just did not do well,” Markell said. “Of the 30 industrialized countries that they surveyed, our students ranked around number 25. If we don't get that right, then the rest of this is just a moot conversation.... Based on my experience in both the public sector and the private sector, there are a few things that can be more critical to our future prosperity.
“We are, in the parlance of today's conference, creating the systems to drive innovation and entrepreneurship,” Markell said. “No question that the first and foremost of that has to do with investing in education, because that is the only short path, in my view, toward an economy that's based on innovation.”
The conference, part of the President's Forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, drew about 400 business, government and academic leaders and featured remarks by U.S. Sen. Thomas R. Carper, reflections on the Council on Competitiveness by Chad Holliday, chairman of the board of DuPont and chairman of the Council on Competitiveness, and Deborah Wince Smith, president of the Council on Competitiveness.
UD President Patrick Harker highlighted major steps that the University has taken to strengthen and supplement existing programs in order to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, from streamlining the patent procurement process to the creation of the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program and the formation of the Delaware Health Sciences Alliance with Thomas Jefferson University, Nemours and Christiana Care.
“Economic downturns have always been prime incubators of entrepreneurial activity,” Harker said. “It's the iconoclasts, the innovators and the entrepreneurs who emerge during times like these. And that's why -- boom or bust -- we'll continue to foster innovation and entrepreneurship as the mainstays of economic leadership.”
David Welch, founder and chief marketing and strategy officer of Infinera Corp., offered an industry perspective on innovation and entrepreneurship and Ruthie Davis, chief executive officer of DAVIS by Ruthie Davis, presented a lecture on “Innovation in the Global Marketplace,” based on her line of stylish shoes that are worn by celebrities such as Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Lady Gaga.
A panel on “Taking the Risk: Living in the Entrepreneurial World” included Jared Augustine, executive manager, SeamlessWeb; Rob Van Etten, president, Brighton Cromwell; and Kerwin Gaines, CEO and chief analyst, Blue Assurance Corp.
Pedro Moore, founding president of UD’s Entrepreneurship Club who graduated in 2006 and now runs TheProsperMagazine.com, led a panel discussion on "Taking the Risk: Living in the Entrepreneurial World."
The event also featured a video presentation on the power of entrepreneurship education for elementary and secondary school students by James O'Neill, director of UD's Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship.
“Our economy has become increasingly complex as we live in a global society with increased competition,” O'Neill said. “It's important to introduce critical thinking skills, creativity, prudent risk taking at a much earlier age.”
The winners of the UD Business Plan competition, which was held on Thursday, April 23, were announced during the event.
The winner in the graduate category was Edwar Delgado, an MBA student who graduated in December 2008. The top prize in the undergraduate category went to Francois Chaubard, a senior mechanical engineering major, and Brandon Maas, a computer science major who also graduated in December 2008.
Article by Martin A Mbugua
Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson