During the week of April 16, 2018, a delegation of administrators, engineers, scientists and researchers visited UConn from the University of Toulouse in France.
The delegation included Dr. Didier Marty-Dessus, Vice Rector of International Relations for the Federal University of Toulouse and Professor of Electrical Engineering, Dr. Pascal Maussion, Vice President of International Affairs for National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse and Professor of Electrical Engineering, Dr. Isabelle Saves, International Relations Manager for Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology and Professor of Biochemistry and Dr. Lucien Baldas, Head of North American Mission for International Relations for University of Toulouse and Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
Prof. Jennifer Terni from Literatures, Cultures and Languages spearheaded the visit of the delegation along with Brian Schwarz from the School of Engineering. The delegation’s visit was designed to explore the possibility of a wide-ranging research and teaching partnership between UConn and the University of Toulouse. The delegation met with researchers from many relevant departments in CLAS, UCHC, the School of Engineering and the School of Pharmacy. During their tour of UConn, the delegation had the chance for more informal exchanges with key faculty and staff during a series of lunches as well as during a reception held on the evening of April 16.
They visited key facilities including the Innovation Partnership Building, UConn Health, Jackson Laboratory, Center for Clean Energy Engineering, Institute for Systems Genomics, Innovation Zone in Werth Tower, and a tour of the new Engineering & Science Building. They also attended an industry and government relations dinner in Hartford that included representatives from our aerospace and bioscience industries. Representatives from Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin, EDAC, AeroCision, UConn Health, Jackson Labs, staff from Representative Esty, staff from Senator Blumenthal and many others attended the UConn/Toulouse dinner in Hartford.
Their visit was cemented by discussions held with key university officials to discuss the potential partnership including our new Provost Craig Kennedy, Vice President of Research, Radenka Maric and Vice President of Global Affairs, Dan Weiner along with all the relevant deans including Davita Glasberg, Dean of CLAS, Senior Associate Dean Michael Accorsi and Daniel Burkey, Dean of Undergraduate Education and Diversity from the School of Engineering, James Halpert, Dean of the School of Pharmacy, and Bruce Liang Dean of the Medical School and Victor Hesselbrock, Interim Senior Associate Dean of Research Planning & Coordination also of the Medical School.
The match between institutions and between the economies of the Toulouse Region and Connecticut (which both enjoy dynamic sectors in aerospace and biotech) came clearly into focus during the visit. Both institutions are now getting ready to embark on the next steps involved in building a series of research and teaching exchange programs between the two universities.
The fall of 2018 will see the launch of our first official class of Technopole France and our first Technopole France student should be heading to Toulouse as early as the fall 2019.
