December 7, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dennis Brown
509/335-2930 (work)
509/334-2297 (home)
brownd@wsu.edu
Source Contact
John Gardner
Vice President for Economic Development and Extension
206-448-1330
gardnerj@wsu.edu
WSU Could Help State become Leader in Bioenergy
PASCO, Wash. – Washington State University could play an important role in helping the state become a leader in Bioenergy, according to WSU Vice President for Economic Development and Extension John C. Gardner.
Speaking at a WSU conference examining economic issues on Thursday, Gardner said that WSU has the obligation as a land-grant university to convene the public, private and philanthropic sectors to address complex issues facing the state, including bioenergy.
“I submit that WSU in a very benevolent way should be that kind of convener,” he said. “I would suggest that it’s not only our responsibility. I would suggest that it is our obligation as the state’s land-grant university.
“It doesn’t mean that we have all the expertise. It means that as the state’s land-grant university we have the footprint of the state in hand. WSU has offices around the state. We’re tied with every county and county government. We’re tied with many municipalities in terms of the small business development centers and learning centers. We’ve got four campuses located strategically.
“I would suggest that WSU has the social network, the geographic network and the legacy of being a land-grant university to help be this convener.”
How would WSU help?
First, Gardner said, “We consult businesses. We’ve done this for a long time and we continue to do it but it is going to be ever more important in the future.”
He said that WSU should also play a role in helping government develop better policies.
“I know that we’ve done it before,” he said. “We’ve already had discussions with the governor, the economic development committees in the House and in the Senate in terms of using WSU in trying to do the analytics behind developing better policy.”
Finally, WSU should do the research for the new ideas itself. “We have the kind of expertise in raw research talent. WSU should contribute that to this whole issue.”
The biggest challenge is the most nebulous one, he said. “That’s the issue of cultural change. We’re moving from an economy that is based on assets and jobs and a career ladder that would last for decades, based on a whole industrial model that is frankly disappearing before our eyes.”
WSU needs to prepare students to create jobs as well as get jobs.
“Do we feel good as faculty when those graduates leave the stage in May knowing that they could do that at some point in their career, knowing that they’re going to have 20 jobs in their career? WSU needs to impart that to Washingtonians as well as students.”
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