Arkansas State University in Jonesboro is hosting the Delta Research Consortium Leadership Summit on Thursday and Friday, seeking to unite universities and other private and public institutions in eight states to produce research and innovation that will help the Delta economy.
Delta Regional Authority, Oak Ridge Associated Universities and Arkansas State are sponsoring the summit, which will take place at Arkansas State’s Dean B. Ellis Library.
DRA Federal Co-Chairman Chris Masingill and Andrew Sustich, vice provost for research and graduate studies at A-State, have invited university research officers and local economic development leaders in the DRA’s footprint in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.
“In order to craft effective policies and solutions to address the Delta region’s greatest challenges, we must collaborate across sectors to produce the research, data, and resources to support economic and community growth,” Masingill said in a news release. “This consortium will achieve this need by bringing academia, economic development practitioners, policy makers, and local industry together to identify and fulfill the needs of our region’s economy and people.
“This leadership summit is the first step in building a regional source for data that drives good decision making for our communities.”
Masingill will present the keynote address on the opportunities the consortium will create during the leadership summit’s first session on Thursday.
The other institutions supporting A-State in organizing the summit are Delta State University, Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University, Southeast Missouri State University, University of Memphis and University of Tennessee at Martin.
“The Delta has a strong resource of public and private institutions that have the capacity to provide research and innovation to address the social and economic opportunities and challenges we face,” Sustich said. “We look forward to bringing these partners together to engage in meaningful collaborations that will positively impact our region and our nation.”
William David Burns, executive director of the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement, will lead a plenary session during the Friday sessions. Tennessee state Sen. Mark Norris of Collierville will address the group during a dinner Thursday evening.
More about the research consortium is available by contacting Rebekah Craig at the Arkansas State office of Research and Technology Transfer at rcraig@AState.edu, (870) 972-2694, https://www.AState.edu/research.
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