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> Industrial affiliates
archive: Summer 2005
Welcome from the director
DTC Director
Andrew Odlyzko Changing Tides
The DTC helps fill the increasing gap in industrial research and development
Through many defining moments, World War II reinforced the importance of science and technology, and federal support for research grew tremendously in the years that followed. But that trend did not last forever, and growth of federal support has been slowing substantially.
"One of the remarkable phenomenon of the last 30 to 40 years is the increase in industrial research and development (R&D)," says Andrew Odlyzko, director of the Digital Technology Center (DTC), ADC Professor in the School of Mathematics, and assistant vice president for research at the University.
In part because of the investment in industrial R&D, today’s world is experiencing technological change at an unparalleled rate in extent and speed, he says. "Technology changes are driving the development of the economy."
Tough challenges for industrial R&D
Most recently, industrial R&D not only faces big challenges in solving tough scientific and engineering puzzles, but also in producing market applications in tighter and tighter time frames, says Odlyzko.
"There is a greater emphasis on dealing with immediate issues and less on pursuing the far-out ideas or thinking about disruptive changes," he says. A weaker economy also has forced even the most committed technology players to cut back on their R&D efforts.
Is it possible to spur the next biggest technology advances in a very different climate than post-World War II?
New answers
The answer to that question may lie in the new collaborations that are forming between universities and industry, says Odlyzko.
The University can and should do more to make up for the loss in industrial circles of what Odlyzko refers to as "unfettered research," where researchers can pursue curiosity-based problems without the pressure of an immediate bottom-line result.
And the University of Minnesota is taking action — and being noticed for its actions.
DTC as a "prime example"
A May 15, 2005 article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press explored the role of technology centers, such as the DTC, in helping fill the increasing gap in industrial R&D. The article referred to the DTC as a "prime example" of a University-initiative to involve industry in "inventing the next generation of technology."
The DTC brings together more than 35 faculty experts from diverse disciplines, all of whom share an interest in digital technologies and their potential to fuel future breakthroughs.
It also encourages participation by industry and offers the flexibility of different options to participate (see related story). As a result in a few short years of full operation, the DTC has established relationships with more than 35 organizations and reached many other corporations.
Benefits to all
DTC faculty members are able to pursue the cutting-edge of digital technology issues, and industry is able to benefit from a wider understanding of those issues and to translate that understanding into potential applications that can bolster their businesses.
As an added bonus, industry also benefits from the other sources of research support that DTC faculty members attract, including federal funding. In turn, industrial research support can help attract additional funding from other sources for University research.
Increasingly, universities are facing smaller funding pools at the federal level, and funding sources also are encouraging initiatives that include application-based aspects. Collaborations, such as the DTC, help give greater strength to funding proposals from university faculty.
The University also serves another important function. "We are training talented students," says Odlyzko. Companies that work with the DTC are able to get to know graduate students — an advantage in recruiting their next generation of scientists and engineers.
Promising future
Odlyzko understands both sides of the equation well. Before coming to the University, he managed research projects at AT&T Bell Laboratories and AT&T Labs and experienced the shifting tides of industrial R&D. Now he sees much promise and opportunity for advancement of digital technologies in the thoughtfully structured collaborations among DTC faculty and industrial scientists and engineers.
"Our mission calls for us to reach out to industry as we look at research questions that impact the future of digital technologies," he says. "We are a place to bridge the gap in a way that benefits the University, industry, and the state."
Summer 2005 members articles
For more information on all
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