On the eastern edge of Gwinnett County sits some 2,000 acres that are under development as Rowen, a first of its kind project in Georgia that aims to bring the leading minds of innovation and research together for collaboration with a focus on agriculture, the environment and medicine. The land is marketed as a home for companies in life sciences and technology and tenants are starting to fill in. Back in March, UCB, a Belgium-based biopharma company, announced it is building a $2 billion biologics manufacturing campus on 90 acres.
The collaboration with universities for Rowen is part of the DNA. As development continues, research is already underway in how that development is impacting the local environment. Using drones, satellite imaging and real-time sensors, students are monitoring different indicators that help track heat islands and watershed impact, among others.
“Through this partnership, our students are applying classroom knowledge to complex, real-world challenges alongside industry leaders,” said Benjamin C. Ayers, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “That experience not only deepens their learning but also prepares them to lead in fields critical to Georgia’s future, from environmental sustainability to life sciences. As Rowen grows, so will the opportunities for our students to contribute and thrive.”
These partnerships are not only core to the mission of Rowen but also help students to gain experience that may help them earn positions at the companies that call Rowen home. UCB may be Belgium-based, but Rowen and leaders at partner universities and at the state capitol hope that those staffing it here will be Georgians.
“Being involved in students’ academic journeys is especially meaningful for Rowen, as it allows us to help bridge the gap between education and opportunity while supporting the next generation of innovators and leaders,” said Mason Ailstock, president of the Rowen Foundation. “Ultimately, it is these students that will be employed by and lead the companies Rowen is looking to recruit and partner with, making discoveries that could change lives for all of us.”
Another partnership with UGA is through the Odum School of Ecology and Georgia Power. That work focused more closely on how the development interacted with the watershed, from forest streams to wetlands on the property. Monitoring wildlife and stormwater runoff gave the group insight into how the development was impacting aquatic ecosystems.
“It is exceedingly rare to have a partner who invites us to monitor the ecological impacts of their development; it is rarer still to have a partner who wants to use the results of that monitoring to improve the sustainability of their site,” said Seth Wenger, professor in the Odum School. “This partnership will provide an unprecedented opportunity to advance the science of sustainable urban development while providing training for graduate and undergraduate students. In fact, we are already incorporating this collaboration into one of our undergraduate courses and plan to expand into other courses next year.”
