James Nov-Dec 2023 web - Flipbook - Page 69
A four-year term as chair of
the nonprofit Georgia Research
Alliance ended in September for
David Ratcliffe, the former Southern Company Chairman and CEO.
Ratcliffe joined GRA’s Board of
Trustees in 2001 and has served
ever since, including twice as its
chair. His tenure has given him a
front-row seat to the evolution of
university research and entrepreneurship in Georgia.
James asked Ratcliffe to share
his thoughts on the GRA, as well
as how this interesting partnership contributes to economic
development in the state.
JAMES You’ve said the Georgia Research Alliance can be kind of a hard
organization to explain. Why is that?
DAVID RATCLIFFE There’s nothing else
like it in Georgia. It represents a
partnership of government, academia and industry and it works in
many different ways, all of which
are very effective and efficient. And
while GRA is unique, its mission
is not hard to understand. Our sole
purpose is to grow Georgia’s economy. We recruit world-class experts
to expand university research and
entrepreneurship in our state.
JAMES How does that work?
RATCLIFFE GRA helps public and
private universities recruit superstar
scientists to Georgia. We then make
careful investments in equipment
and technology for them to use,
which they share. The scientists win
more research grants and create answers to problems. GRA then helps
seed and shape companies around
their inventions.
JAMES This sounds good for the universities. But what does it mean to
everyday Georgians?
RATCLIFFE The result of GRA’s work
helps create a sizable contribution to
the state’s tax digest. More than $1
billion flows to Georgia every year in
research grants to GRA’s 70-plus scientists and venture capital to dozens
of GRA-backed startups. Jobs are
created, equipment and supplies are
purchased, leases are signed— and
all of that adds to the tax revenues of
the state.
JAMES What’s an example of an invention that’s come along?
RATCLIFFE One of the latest is a
technology that diagnoses autism in
children much earlier in life, as early
as 16 months rather than the current 4 to 5 years. Back in 2011, GRA
along with the Marcus Foundation
and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
recruited Ami Klin from Yale to be a
GRA Eminent Scholar at Emory. He
had been developing this technology, which tracks the eye movement
of kids as they watch videos. As it
turns out, children with autism look
at the world very differently.
JAMES And this is now being used?
RATCLIFFE That’s right, and it’s a
true game-changer. GRA helped
Klin and others start a company
DAVID RATCLIFFE
called EarliTec around this invention. Late this summer, after years
of development, the system started
being used in clinics and doctors’
offices. In the months and years
ahead, more and more Georgia kids
will be getting screened earlier for
autism which means interventions
can come much sooner with better
outcomes for these kids.
JAMES What are some of the other
inventions?
RATCLIFFE There are many, some of
them pretty technical. One is the
use of glass as a substrate for semiconductors. It has many advantages
over standard substrates. In Conyers, a company called Absolics is
building a plant to make these substrates. The company is investing
$600 million in the project, which
will create 400-plus jobs.
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