Tim Atkinson
Tim Atkinson was appointed president of the Arkansas Science & Technology Authority in 2013 after years of helping scientists find funding for their work. Previously, he was assistant provost for sponsored programs at the University of Central Arkansas.
He has a bachelor’s in biology from Tennessee Technological University, a master’s in education from Vanderbilt University and a doctorate in education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
ASTA’s mission is to advance the talent and innovation necessary for Arkansas to prosper. What is the major stumbling block to achieving this goal?
Our mission is broad. The major challenge in this area is aligning large organizations around similar goals. We work with everybody we can: higher education, manufacturing, other economic development agencies in the state, the governor’s office, as well as the small, intelligent startup companies trying to build jobs in Arkansas.
What specific things does ASTA do to promote the development, expansion and retention of knowledge-based industry in Arkansas? Are there things ASTA wants to do but can’t?
Having limited resources is the primary obstacle, but at ASTA we share an attitude of thankfulness for what we have, and we try to do the best job we can with those limited resources. We are intent on being good stewards with the money the state has entrusted to us. So to promote development, expansion and retention, we try our best to be a functional node in the large network of organizations in the ecosystem. If we can just put people together, it helps in the long run.
How is ASTA encouraging high school students to enter technology fields?
Through our EPSCoR program and collaborations with the Arkansas Department of Education, we are able to support project-based educational curriculums through New Tech High Schools, Project Lead the Way and other projects in the state’s STEM Works programs. We are partners with the state Department of Education in promoting these great programs.
What is the most significant challenge you’ve faced in your career?
Making sure all the right voices are at the table when we discuss important issues. It’s sometimes hard to get everybody in the room at the same time, and it is also hard to get people interested in something that doesn’t have meaning to them. So creating meaningful goals is a deliberate art and task. It takes a consistently good attitude to create meaning in what you do.
What can be done to expand the manufacturing industry in Arkansas?
Our Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions unit is one of the best in the nation. It is partially funded by the National Institutes of Standards & Technology through its Manufacturing Extension Program. It’s great at using “boots on the ground” tools, working directly with people in the organization with growth and innovation tools, operational excellence methods, sustainability procedures and leadership development programs, which is one of my favorites. Each component can be part of a larger growth program for an entire manufacturing enterprise. It’s practical advice for the manufacturing system from the floor to the C-suite. Over the past five years, our clients have collectively self-reported billions in increased and retained sales, millions in cost savings and thousands of jobs created and retained.
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