Brand to speak at conference

IU President Myles Brand will speak in the state capital today at a conference trumpeting IU's leadership in the life sciences and biotechnology sectors. \nThe conference, called the IU Economic Development Workshop, will showcase IU's high-profile research achievements: the School of Informatics, the Emerging Technology Center, the Proteomics Consortium and Information Technology. \nSpeakers at the conference will include ambassadors from both state government and the private sector. Brand will participate in a discussion on economic roles with Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan and David Goodrich, President of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership.\nOther speakers throughout the day include Craig Brater, Dean of the IU School of Medicine, Mark Long, President of the IU Advanced Research and Technology Institute and John Hurrell, President of the Proteomics Consortium.\nIU spokeswoman Angela Lindauer said the University projects highlighted at the conference are breathing new life into Indiana's sputtering economy.\n"We are changing the economy of Indiana," Lindauer said. "These items can assist in changing the traditional Indiana economy into more hi-tech and medical (areas)."\nThe conference comes less than a month before the 2003 Indiana General Assembly convenes. Director of State Relations Don Weaver said he hopes the conference will send a message to state legislators that IU is a key part of Indiana's economic future. \n"We need to make sure that the state is aware of the investment needed for long term building of the state's economy," Weaver said. "We feel like we are a basic driver, an engine, for the economy's development." \nThe shortcomings of Indiana's manufacturing-heavy economy have become apparent over the past two years. During the national recession, no state lost more jobs than Indiana. \nWeaver said IU's life-sciences projects are moving the economy away from its reliance on manufacturing. \n"There will always be manufacturing in Indiana, but we are hopeful we can change the economy to more information knowledge," Weaver said. \nLast week Gov. Frank O'Bannon enlisted IU's help in revitalizing the state's economy. On Dec. 4 he unveiled his Energize Indiana plan to create thousands of new high-tech job in Indiana. The stimulus package includes close to $200 million for universities.\nBill Stephan, spokesman for Brand, said IU's research projects are contributing to a "brain gain" in Indiana. Research conducted at places like the School of Informatics may one day result in new business opportunities for the state, which translates into jobs, he said. \n"(This activity) spurs a growth sector of the state's economy, which is very important as the state is going through some difficult economic times," Stephen said. \nGerald Bepko, who will take over IU on Jan. 1, 2003 as interim president, will give closing comments at 4:15 p.m.