Wednesday, Penn State Behrend hosted a closed roundtable discussion with U.S. Congress Representative Glenn Thompson, along with other representatives of the Northwest Pennsylvania Beehive Network. The focus of meeting was to discuss topics including job creation, economic development and university collaboration. The meeting was held in Behrend’s Innovation Commons idea lab.

 

The roundtable consisted of nine representatives. Among them were Gary Hanes and Chris Johnson, Cofounders of Grizzly Innovations, Michael Victor, J.D. LL.D. president of Mercyhurst University, Dr. Keith Taylor, president of Gannon University, Dr. Ralph Ford, chancellor of Penn State Behrend, Dr. Michael Hannan, provost at Edinboro University, Amy Bridger, Sr. Director, Corporate Strategy & External Engagement at Penn State Behrend and Josh Gloeckner, senior majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology at Penn State Behrend.

 

While the meeting was closed to the public, as requested by Thompson, some public questions were answered prior to the meeting, where Thompson stressed the significance of the Beehive Network. “It’s synergy in the past, we didn’t really have that for the most part. I mean it was a competition, it was a turf war to get someone to enroll in your university instead of somewhere else, and I get it, that’s still going to exist,” Thompson said. “The fact that they are looking at the greater good of the economy in our community and having that synergy of bringing these four very successful institutions together with a focus of economic development, I’m excited for the future of Erie county and beyond” he continued.

 

Thompson received a personal tour of Behrend’s Innovation Commons and was able to interact with Michael Paul, a senior in engineering who showed him the lab’s latest project. The roundtable discussion was held at Behrend to show Thompson that which can be expected from the Beehive, as Behrend currently has the most developed lab.  Thompson was noted stating that he was glad to see his alma mater embrace this partnership with entrepreneurs and other institutions to open up intellectual properties, which previously had been held onto tightly.

 

Thompson expressed much excitement to work with his alma mater Penn State, specifically Penn State Behrend. When asked how he was enjoying his time here he responded, “If I got to do a do over I would pick Behrend Campus. With the faculty that’s here, the programs offered, just the beautiful surroundings, the class sizes, and the view of the lake, there is just so much. And now you’ve got partnerships with other universities, so I love spending time on Behrend Campus.”

 

Thompson expressed to the Beacon that he was very excited for the students participating in the labs at Behrend. He was especially eager to congratulate the students who would be taking their studies one step further with their, “ability to participate and take your ideas, and grow your ideas, and commercialize what you’ve learned in your education…to financially benefit yourself, and financially benefit your community.”

 

While the contents of closed meeting are not known, Thompson expressed that he was eager to hear how the process was going, along with what kinks need worked out still. Thompson expressed that he was most concerned about discussing how items such as federal perspectives, regulation issues and tax issues may be interfering with the project and what they can do together to change those problems, along with a discussion on what Erie’s workforce needs.