Merrimack College will lead the development of a regional tech hub, focusing on areas such as AI and robotics, thanks to a recently awarded state grant.
The College is one of six recipients to receive a Massachusetts TechHubs Program Strategy Development Grant. Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kimberly Driscoll, Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development Eric Paley and MassTech CEO Carolyn Kirk H’24 made the announcement on Nov. 6 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
The $100,000 award will provide Merrimack with the resources to develop a strategic plan proposal for a future Lower Merrimack Valley tech hub.
“Merrimack College needs to play a larger role in the economic and workforce development of the lower Merrimack Valley,” said April Bowling, vice president of research at Merrimack College. “This grant creates a vehicle for interested parties to come together as a group. It is a huge opportunity that we didn’t previously have to advance what we want to do in a more comprehensive and collaborative way.”
According to its website, the Massachusetts TechHubs Program is a place-based economic development initiative intended to strengthen regional innovation ecosystems across the Commonwealth by designating regional tech hubs outside traditional technology centers. Specifically, it aims to align industry, academia and government towards a common mission of accelerating the growth of strategically important and emerging industry sectors.
Merrimack College will now begin coordinating with area businesses and municipalities from Haverhill to Andover to identify opportunities for growth in the AI, automation, robotics and advanced materials industries, to ultimately spur greater economic and workforce development in the region.
“We see these as emerging areas and will further connect Merrimack’s growth and the growth of the surrounding communities,” said Jamie Kimberley, associate vice provost for research development and professor of mechanical and electrical engineering. “This grant and the Massachusetts TechHub Program’s highly align with the College’s existing direction.”
The development of a tech hub strategic plan is expected to take about 18 months, after which Merrimack and its partners will present the plan to MassTech and apply for a larger grant to bring the plan to fruition.
Merrimack College has made significant investments in its engineering, data sciences, robotics and computational sciences programs. This includes the launch of the School of Engineering and Computational Sciences, the development of state-of-the-art facilities at 510 & 530 Turnpike St. and new electromechanical engineering degree focused on preparing students for careers in robotics, automation and smart systems.
By taking the lead on regional workforce development, Kimberley said more doors will be open for Merrimack College students. It will bolster its undergraduate programs through more experiential learning opportunities with area businesses, enhance funded research programs for graduate students and establish more pathways to the workforce.
“By working with tech partners and getting a better understanding of what they are looking for, we can better prepare our students,” Kimberley added.
