The Tennessee Valley Authority and Mississippi State will be promoting a merger of research and environmental awareness with informational presentations and displays today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MSU and TVA will discuss issues like efficiency and environmental cleanliness, said TVA chairman Glenn McCullough Jr, who is an MSU alumnus.
“Providing affordable, reliable electricity, a cleaner environment and a strong economy are the ways we serve the people of Mississippi and the people of the entire Tennessee valley,” McCullough said.
David Latham, partner at Delta Capital Management, will be featured at an entrepreneurial forum titled, “Turning Technology into Money,” from 4. to 5 p.m. in the Bost Theater.
The presentation will expose those who attend to the venture capital process and the methods for turning technologies and ideas into companies, Latham said.
“The forum will address taking ideas and technologies that are developed on campus through the commercialization process, forming a company and raising capital and ultimately harvesting the technology [by selling the company or going public] which is where the founders or inventors walk away with the dollars,” Latham said.
Charles T. Rivenburgh, director of Intellectual Property and Technology Licensing, will be the introductory speaker for today’s forum.
The forum’s purpose is to bring attention to the value of technology at State and improve the commercialization of this technology. It will stress the value of intellectual property and research, Rivenburgh said.
“Everybody’s got an idea. They just need to know how to get it out. That’s why students need to come to the forum,” Rivenburgh said. “With $150 million in research, we should have software programs and other inventions that can lead to patents and businesses.”
Each year one or two students at Mississippi State present designs that have commercial potential, Rivenburgh said.
The events will be of interest to students, faculty and the general public, and all are welcome to attend, said Melvin Ray, special assistant to President Charles Lee.
Ray also said that all students should take advantage of this event and the ability to learn about entrepreneurship and other issues pertaining to their various fields of study.
“This day of events is a great opportunity for students to come and attend sessions and learn from nationally recognized experts in the areas related to entrepreneurship, affordable housing and alternative fuels,” Ray said.
From 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., MSU/TVA displays will be available in the second floor lobby of The Colvard Union. The TVA hybrid car display will be outside of the north entrance to The Union.
McCullough said that relationships with research institutions such as MSU help TVA achieve its mission of providing affordable power, a cleaner environment and a stronger economy because the faculty, staff and students are committed to excellence in learning, research and service.
“We’re really excited because MSU and TVA have resources that work together to enable the people we serve to achieve a higher quality of life,” McCullough said.
This collaboration between TVA and the university for the purpose of research and development is a great thing that will yield many benefits, Ray said.
“This cooperation is the brainchild of President Charles Lee and Chairman McCullough. It’s all about combining the resources of MSU and TVA to address and solve real world problems,” Ray said.
For more scheduling information, the day’s agenda is posted online at www.ur.msstate.edu/news/stories/2004/tvadayagenda.pdf.