Increase the research and development capacity of the region through synergy and collaboration. With the development of NEREN, the Northeast can effectively link many of the most renowned and respected research institutions in the world. In addition, it can provide the means for organizing and managing divergent research strengths and talents, allowing for greater opportunities for collaborative research across a wide range of emerging and cutting edge fields and disciplines. With NEREN, the region can increase its ability to attract businesses, particularly start-up companies, representing many different industry clusters and emerging technology fields. NEREN can also expand location options for new or expanding companies, and provide greater flexibility in their location needs, and a wider research and development network to support them now and into the future.
Building the most talented workforce in the nation. Because NEREN will link elementary and secondary schools with technical and research universities across the region, as well as large-scale educational programs with global reach (e.g., The Jason Project). NEREN’s integration of K-20 education systems can significantly augment the development of student skills and competencies, particularly in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (the STEM skills). The economic vitality and competitiveness of the Northeast is directly dependent upon the quality of our education and training programs. NEREN can have a huge impact in making the region’s educational and workforce programs second to none, turning the region into an economic development magnet for company relocations and start-ups.
Enhancing the region’s technology backbone. To effectively compete in the global marketplace, productivity is of utmost importance. This is probably no more true than in the Northeast where housing, energy, labor, and healthcare costs, coupled with a high rate of population out-migration, all contribute in making workforce efficiency critical to competitiveness. Technology has been, and will continue to be, the great equalizer and NEREN’s backbone and access to top-end institutional research capabilities will advance its impact significantly. It can also provide the platform upon which corporate technology needs can be built and/or enhanced. It can do the same for researchers, students and families, creating a technology-friendly regional community that is very attractive to business and industry; particularly those involved in emerging and growth technologies.