Newswise — The U.S. Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, IARPA, officially got its first permanent home today as the University of Maryland and Director of National Intelligence dedicated the agency's new facility at M-Square " the University's research park, the state's largest. The building is expected to be ready for occupancy later in the year.
University of Maryland officials stressed that IARPA " the park's latest construction project " represents a vital step in the development of M-Square, bringing to "critical mass" its cluster of national security and other high-impact tenants.
Negotiations are underway with potential new tenants, they added, who want to be close to IARPA, the other federal facilities at M-Square and the University's research capabilities, though no final agreements have been reached.
IARPA's mission is to invest in high-risk, high-payoff research programs that have the potential to provide the nation with an overwhelming intelligence advantage over future adversaries. http://www.iarpa.gov/index.html
"Our 50-year history of collaboration with national security agencies and our special emphasis on security-related research make this a natural partnership, and we're proud to be IARPA's home," says C.D. Mote Jr., president of the University of Maryland. "IARPA will complement the work of other federal neighbors already in the park focusing on vital issues such as climate change, critical language training and agriculture and food safety."
The dedication ceremony drew more than two hundred people, including members of the Intelligence Community, the Maryland congressional delegation, state and local officials and members of the region's economic development community.
At the ceremony, Mote acknowledged the "staunch and energetic" efforts of U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) in securing a home for IARPA in Maryland.
"Our intelligence community is facing new threats and new challenges everyday " IARPA develops the innovations and new technologies to keep us safe at home and abroad," said Sen. Mikulski, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. "I can think of no better place than the University of Maryland for IARPA's headquarters. UM's innovative academic research, world-class facilities and close proximity to federal intelligence agencies make it an excellent choice. I will continue to fight for investments in the ideas and new technologies that will create jobs and keep our country safe."
IARPA was established in October 2007 to fill a critical gap in the Intelligence Community's science-and-technology investment strategy. Part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, IARPA's charter enables it to tackle difficult challenges that cut across intelligence agencies and disciplines.
"Here at this site, some of America's leading scientists, academics, and intelligence experts will collaborate on the cutting-edge technology that will keep America several steps ahead of those who seek to do it harm," said Rep. Hoyer, who as Majority Leader is the highest-ranking Member of Congress in Maryland history. "Together they will dramatically improve the value of the data collected by our intelligence community, develop new ways for analysts to extract valuable intelligence, and find ways to counter the new threats emerging in a networked world. This is a great day for the University of Maryland and its commitment to advanced research."
University economic development officials say park tenants bring a significant number of high quality jobs to Maryland. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's new M-Square research building will soon employ approximately 800 scientists and staff.
"This new IARPA facility will bring together world-class research with a cutting-edge staff in state-of-the-art headquarters to keep our country safe and looking toward the future," said Rep. Ruppersberger, chairman of the Technical and Tactical Intelligence Subcommittee. "The topnotch research conducted here will keep us ahead of the curve to prevent surprises and to surprise our future adversaries. As a Maryland alumnus, it is an honor to acknowledge that this University is truly home to some of the best and brightest minds in the field."
The key technology clusters at M-Square are homeland and national security; climate change, environmental and earth sciences; and food safety and security.
"If you look at the map of all the intelligence assets in this region, College Park turns out to be pretty close to the geographic center, and with this new building also an intellectual center for driving new ideas to strengthen the nation's security," says Brian Darmody, University of Maryland associate vice president for research and economic development. "I think this whole 'ARPA' notion, with its interdisciplinary and interagency approach is a coming trend."
Recently, he adds, an energy project, ARPA-e, got preliminary federal approval. The original notion began with the Department of Defense more than 50 years ago.
The new IARPA building will join several federal agencies with operations already in M-Square or under construction that facilitate research partnerships with the University of Maryland. These include the departments of Defense and Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's new National Weather and Environmental Prediction Center and the Food and Drug Administration. http://www.msquare.umd.edu/thepark/tenants_neighbors.cfm
University officials point to other examples of the good fit between IARPA and M-Square that contribute to a successful collaboration: the number of UM faculty involved in a wide range of national security research such as tracking terrorism patterns, securing information networks and vaccinating against bioterrorism; and the large number of UM students focusing on security-related studies, including critical foreign language training, bioengineering and information studies.
Corporate Office Properties Trust, COPT, is the joint venture partner for development and property management of the project.
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