According to the 2012 Economic Impact Report of the URC, the universities generated $15.5 billion toward Michigan’s economy — a number URC Executive Director Jeff Mason said is spread throughout the state in company development and the growing number of working professionals.

In 2011, URC research expenditures exceeded $2 billion, and its research and development growth rate was number one among the nation’s six other research clusters — a 43 percent increase during the past five years, according to the URC report.

Of the $2 billion the triad had in 2011 for research and development, 60 percent came from federal grants, about 30 percent came from the universities’ pockets and 10 percent came from other miscellaneous sources, Mason said.

According to the URC report, there are 589,840 URC alumni living in Michigan.

Mason said the aim of the URC is to collaborate and build upon the skills of each university — a goal Joan Rose has benefitted from. Rose, a professor in MSU’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, said in 2010, URC funded a conference for water sustainability research and provided an opportunity that opened doors for her current project studying the history of Lake St. Clair.

In this project, Rose said she works closely with a faculty member at Wayne State to test water quality in the lake.

“Michigan is blessed with a lot of intellectual resources,” she said. “I think the URC helps promote collaboration and the great science that can come out of those collaborations.”

Rose said the project is funded by a $200,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.
Electrical engineering freshman Carl McConkie said it is nice knowing he came to a university so invested in collaborative research.

“To have the opportunity to do some real research and hands-on stuff is a great opportunity,” McConkie said. “It’s really prepared me for what I might see out there and get some experience.”