Two members of the state of Nebraska’s economic development group toured UNMC on Wednesday, meeting with Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., and other campus leaders and viewing areas such as the iEXCEL Visualization Hub, the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit and the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.
Courtney Dentlinger, director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, said Dr. Gold had invited her and Dan Curran, director of business development for the department, to visit campus and see the opportunities for economic development and growth that UNMC afford the state of Nebraska.
“We’re seeing firsthand a lot of the innovation that’s happening within UNMC, and a lot of the partnerships and opportunities for tech transfer and startups, as well as innovative research and development,” Dentlinger said.
“A lot of people don’t even realize that there’s a giant here in Omaha helping to drive the local economy,” she added. “You don’t see what’s going on behind the scenes — the sheer number of people directly and indirectly employed, and the research dollars coming into the university system, and also some of the tech transfer coming out in startups.”
Dentlinger called some of the technology she saw, such as the iEXCEL Visualization Hub, fascinating.
“I think it will help public health, but it also will help attract people to the state of Nebraska, because we’re a leader.”
Curran said that he was aware of the projects, but seeing the campus in person was impactful.
“When you take a tour, you really find out how much more advanced the research is, and how you’re modeling next-generation education and research,” he said.