Science and technology are powerful forces in the central Illinois economy. More than $1 billion is invested in research and development throughout the Peoria area each year. Imaginative explorations are taking place in the laboratories of Caterpillar, the USDA National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Bradley University, Illinois Central College, the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, and other entities around the region. Discovery is all around us.
With investment of this magnitude, it should be no surprise there’s cutting edge research happening right here in central Illinois. You don’t need to travel far and wide to hear about breakthrough research; you only have to look down the street. It’s with this understanding that Peoria NEXT presents the Scientific Colloquium Series.
Tomorrow’s breakthroughs are being researched in Peoria today. Designed to reveal the tremendous wealth of science and technology research in the Peoria area, the Scientific Colloquium Series is custom built for the general public. Each installment will feature a thought-provoking and exciting presentation from a leading scientist or researcher involved in the life sciences, material sciences, and engineering sciences. The Series takes place from 3:30 to 5 p.m., the third Friday of each month, in the Peoria Public Library auditorium.
You don’t have to be a Ph.D. to enjoy the Colloquium Series. The Colloquium topics are carefully chosen to show how innovative research is affecting the way we live, work, and play each and every day.
In September, participants will hear about dynamic stem cell research taking place at the Pediatric Oncology unit of the Children’s Hospital of Illinois. October brings a speaker from Caterpillar who will address pioneering nanotechnology research and the implications future discoveries will have on our daily lives. November features a scientist from the USDA National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research addressing new revelations in biotechnology. The last installment of the fall series takes place in December and explores the fascinating field of robotics from the perspective of another Caterpillar engineer.
Discovery and innovation can’t thrive in a vacuum. They flourish in a community where the questions are as valued as the answers. They gain momentum in a place where conventional solutions are challenged and all types of creativity are valued. They prosper in places where innovation isn’t reserved for the laboratory-it’s a way of life.
Discovery and innovation happen in a Knowledge Economy. Through programs like the Scientific Colloquium Series, Discovery Forums, and the NEXT Knowledge Communities, Peoria NEXT is setting out to build a Knowledge Economy in central Illinois. We’re working to create an environment where innovation is as much a part of our lives as the Illinois River-a culture where research and discovery is not only accepted, but embraced.
Peoria NEXT welcomes the central Illinois community to the Knowledge Economy. Discover a new world of science and technology. Be a part of the culture of discovery in central Illinois. Join us at the 2003 Peoria NEXT Scientific Colloquium Series. IBI
