by CAROL BRZOZOWSKI
While Mississippi’s universities are “doing a great job in developing a highly skilled workforce pipeline, we still see a lot of great new hires leaving the state for excellent career opportunities and a new quality of life,” says Monica Tisak, executive director of The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Innovation and Commercialization Park, including the Mississippi Polymer Institute (MPI) and The Accelerator.
USM and other state institutions aim to change that in order to fulfill the need for a workforce educated in advanced programs.
Founded in 1993 to assist companies with their products and thus business and quality job growth, MPI is designed to work with businesses of all sizes and at all levels — from individual inventors to multinational corporations.
“We are an outward facing non-profit technical services organization that ‘Makes, Tests & Assesses, and Trains’ and more broadly we are part of The University of Southern Mississippi’s 500-acre Innovation & Commercialization Park — ‘The Garden,’ ” Tisak notes.
Approximately 300 of those acres are developable. Thanks to a Mississippi Development Authority grant, 33 acres are now ‘pad ready’ for advanced manufacturers.
“Since the Mississippi Polymer Institute is materials-focused, we cover many sectors,” Tisak says. “In terms of workforce, we focus on post-hire training and specialize in polymer processing tailored to company continuous improvement needs also known as yield improvement programs.”
Companies are increasingly concerned with holistic efficiencies including carbon footprint assessments, lifecycle analyses, and sustainable materials and practices. In response, MPI has added assessments and a sustainability certification course to enable workforces to implement more resilient operations, says Tisak.
“We see considerable growth in alternative energy, sustainable materials and the space economy,” she says. “To address these areas and with the support of the State of Mississippi and National institute of Science and Technology, we have developed a testing lab specifically to address graphene-enabled advanced materials, testing and working demonstrations for alternative energy technologies, and developing testing to specifically evaluate compostable plastics.”
Long History, Bright Future
Tisak notes the School of Polymer Science and Engineering has a long history in aerospace composites with programs supporting developing materials and providing community and company outreach to accelerate market adoption.
“Historically, MPI has had strong demand for product development, product testing, manufacturing troubleshooting and third party evaluations,” says Tisak. “These types of projects are still in high demand within high-growth sectors.”
As part of the effort to retain a much-needed workforce in the state, USM has implemented a ‘Work, Live, Play’ development plan on 100 acres five miles from the USM main campus surrounding Lake Sehoy for public recreation and another 300 acres for long-term lease or sale in order to develop advanced manufacturing, office and R&D, a town center and residential areas.
“We see student interest especially in the areas of sustainability, composites and 3D printing,” says Tisak. “From our perspective, students are looking for jobs where they can make a difference, are valued and can have opportunities for career progression.”
USM delivers programs to more than 13,000 students in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast as well as online.
“We are a community-engaged Carnegie R1 university, earning distinction as one of the nation’s leading research institutions,” says Tisak. “Southern Miss is known for pioneering work in polymer science, ocean science, spectator sports safety and security, and bringing language to children with communication disorders.”
USM is a national leader in cybersecurity, hydrography, nutrition, aquaculture, kinesiology and economic development, among other areas of study, Tisak notes.
Once people visit Mississippi and witness the area’s capabilities, business potential and family-oriented living, Tisak says, they are hooked.
Other options for advanced programs include Mississippi State University’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, a world-class technology development center comprising engineering, research, development and technology transfer teams. Its programs focus on exploring solutions to complex problems, in areas such as autonomous vehicles, materials science, high-performance computing, advanced controls and human-machine interaction.
The University of Mississippi’s Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence helps students prepare for the manufacturing industry through educational programs, extension services and economic development initiatives.