Mason Ailstock, COO of the Research Foundation of North Carolina, has been named a 2016 Eisenhower Fellow, one of ten selected nationally. The global research he plans to do as part of the fellowship may directly impact the future of Research Triangle Park’s new development.
The USA Fellows were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants from across the United States. Fellows will travel abroad on an intensive four- to five-week individualized professional program. They will meet with experts in their respective fields, with the goal of exchanging ideas and information to help them and their peers abroad better their communities and advance their professions.
The Fellows will visit diverse countries in the Eisenhower network, including Spain, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Russia, Brazil, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Northern Ireland and Japan.
As part of his fellowship, Ailstock plans to travel to Sweden and Saudi Arabia to help identify best practices for the convergence of art, science, technology and the humanities in global research parks. His research will directly impact the future of Research Triangle Park’s new development, Park Center.
Research parks in Saudi Arabia, Sweden on the agenda
In a response to receiving the honor at RTP.org, Ailstock wrote:
“In the three years I’ve been with Research Triangle Park, I’ve learned how RTP has helped shape North Carolina’s global identity and how the creation of the Park spurred innovation and job growth across the state. For many other research parks around world, RTP has been the model to emulate.”
He continued, “Now, after 56 years RTP has reached a critical point in its development that calls for a re-imagination of what the future holds. It’s made me curious: how can a research park continue to serve local communities while remaining an international technology hub? How will the redevelopment of RTP at Park Center shape the thinking for other research parks around the world?”
He notes that understanding how other parts of the world are planning research parks “Will be critical when figuring out how to move RTP forward.”
He adds that he has started discussions with leaders of research parks in Saudi Arabia, such as King Abdullah University of Science & Technology, and with Sweden, ab out the Lindholmen Science Park in Goteborg, and Swedish incubators in Stockholm.
Other prominent area business and thought-leaders previously named Eisenhower Fellows include: Smedes York of York Properties, Anita Brown-Graham of the Institute of Emerging Issues, Rob Burns and Zeeshan-ul-hassan Usmani of PrediticfyMe and Jean Davis of MCNC.
For more information, visit www.efworld.org
Ailstock’s response to receiving the award: http://www.rtp.org/becoming-an-eisenhower-fellow/
