Conference intends to strengthen research

| Wednesday, September 20, 2006

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RAPID CITY -- More than 150 scientists, entrepreneurs and economic developers will meet in Rapid City for the

"Innovation to Application" conference. It will focus on how to convert university research into commercial applications.

The conference is Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 25 and 26, and it is free and open to the public.

The conference is sponsored by the state's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research program and the Governor's Office of Economic Development.

EPSCoR is a National Science Foundation program "to strengthen research and education in science and engineering throughout the United States and to avoid undue concentration of such research and education," according to a written release.

"We bring together the people who are creating the innovations with those who are developing the technologies," South Dakota EPSCoR director Jim Rice, who heads the Chemistry Department at South Dakota State University, said in the release.

One of the participants will be Mark Banash, director of production for Zyvex South Dakota.

Zyvex is based in Richardson, Texas, but this summer, the company opened a facility at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.

Zyvex and South Dakota Tech researchers will develop "nanotechnology" applications.

Banash will be on a panel on infrastructure needs of technology-based economic development in South Dakota.

The conference opens Monday evening with a banquet (call in advance) and is all day Tuesday at the Best Western Ramkota in Rapid City. For more information, call Rice at 688-5151.

The conference agenda is available online at www.sdepscor.org/stateconference/index.htm.