In President Bush's 2006 budget proposal, $4 million is allocated in support of the Rare Isotope Accelerator. This support is a step toward making the project a future reality.
The RIA project, for which MSU is a top candidate, would be great for our university and the state of Michigan, if it actually happens. The $1 billion project would enable scientists to study rare isotopes not found on Earth and is estimated to bring 1,600 jobs to its host state.
For Michigan, these jobs would be very important. Our state has one of the worst unemployment rates in the country, tied with Alaska at 7.3 percent, and this project could help lower this number.
In her State of the State address on Tuesday night, Gov. Jennifer Granholm spoke about the lack of high-technology jobs in Michigan. She said the rest of the country is growing technologically and Michigan isn't adjusting. RIA would tie in well with Granholm's goal.
Maybe even more important are the benefits for MSU. If our university was chosen to house the project, it would give us the best nuclear physics facilities in the world. MSU already has one of the top programs in the country, and RIA would only make it better. RIA also would give the university more prestige as a learning institution, and bring people from all over the country, maybe even the world, into our campus.
But we can't get too excited, yet. Bush's allocation certainly is a sign of the federal government's continued interest in RIA, but it only will go to more research on the project to decide whether or not it will be implemented. Last year, Bush also allocated $4 million to the project, and Congress increased it to $9 million. Since Congress will review and approve the 2006 budget in the next few months, we can only hope funding will increase again.
Although this project is still at the research stage, we are optimistic that Bush's support will help make the project an actuality. Without support from the Bush administration, RIA could fall to the wayside and be forgotten. It seems the endorsement will encourage more funding and finalization for RIA.
MSU and the Argonne National Laboratory, near Chicago, are currently in competition for RIA if it does go through. Both are waiting for a Request For Proposal from the U.S. Department of Energy.
What we need is strong representatives actively encouraging Congress to increase funding. We would like to see MSU President Lou Anna Simon and Granholm continue to pursue the reality of this project. In January, they met to discuss the topic and create strategies. Simon and Granholm must remain committed to working together for the common good of the state and the university. RIA has the potential to benefit both, and should be a main priority.
