New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg extended an invitation last month to higher education institutions, including Cornell, to build an applied science research facility in the city.Cornell has not yet made a decision about whether it plans to submit an expression of interest, but will do so before the March 16 deadline, according to Claudia Wheatley, interim deputy University spokesperson.“There are discussions going on, but we don’t know where we’ll end up at this time,” Wheatley said.According to Julie Wood, press secretary at New York City Economic Development Corporation, the invitation came from an idea to stimulate growth in technology, research and science fields within the city.“Our goal is to create an applied sciences campus that promotes New York City as the twenty-first century capital of innovation to match its standing as a global capital of other industries,” Wood said.In a city press release, Bloomberg explained why New York is an ideal place to build such a facility.“New York City has all the ingredients to complement an applied science and engineering hub — a highly educated global population, unparalleled financial and business community to provide capital and support for new ventures and existing top-notch institutions performing cutting-edge research,” Bloomberg said. “We want to capitalize on those strengths.”According to the release, the city plans to “make a capital contribution, in addition to possibly providing land and other considerations, commensurate with the respondent’s investment.”Four possible sites have also been identified by the city: the Navy Hospital Campus at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Goldwater Hospital Campus on Roosevelt Island, Governor’s Island and the Farm Colony on Staten Island. However, universities are also encouraged to propose alternative sites for building the facility.Though the city will consider all proposals, it hopes to partner with an institution strong in the areas of applied sciences and engineering, Wood said.More than twenty universities from four continents have already expressed interest in the invitation, according to Wood.Following the deadline for submissions of interest, the city will evaluate the responses and submit a Request for Proposals to the selected institutions in the summer, Wood said. A proposal will be selected by the end of 2011.
Original Author: Cindy Huynh