Five hundred million dollars.
No matter how you write it, that's a big number. It's also the amount University of Michigan officials estimate its nanotechnology center has contributed to the state's economy. That number should only go up now that a new $40 million, 37,000 square-foot addition has been finished.
"The University of Michigan is dedicated to the economic growth and stability of our region, and the addition of the Lurie Nanofabrication Facility builds on that commitment," says Mary Sue Coleman, president of the University of Michigan.
"It is a stunning and important component of the university's research and development initiatives in the world of nanotechnology."
The addition includes 4,500 square feet of clean room space for microsystems and nanotechnology and 2,800 square feet for wet chemistry. An additional $20 million in equipment will be installed in the facility over the next few years.
It will be used by more than 20 small and large companies for research and development. The expansion is expected to help transform Michigan's traditionally brawn-based economy to a brain-based one; helping to keep the brightest minds in the state and attract yet more.
"In terms of quality, our expanded lab will be the best there is in academia in this region of the United States," said David Munson, dean of engineering for U-M.
The expansion is named after the late Robert Lurie, a Chicago-based real estate investor who received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the U-M College of Engineering. His estate also funded a significant chunk of the addition.
Source: University of Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke
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