2012-2013 Confirmed Speakers
- September 18 | Dr. E. Wayne Holden, President, RTI International
- October 16 | Dr. John Hardin, Executive Director, NC Department of Commerce Office of Science & Technology
- November 20 | Dr. Randy Avent, N.C. State University Department of Computer Science
- January 15 | Bob Geolas, President & CEO, Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina
- March 19 | Dr. Don Rose, Director, Carolina Kickstart Program at UNC Chapel Hill
- April 9th | Dr. Steve Lommel, NC State University Professor of Plant Pathology
Events on February 19 and April 16 will be announced shortly. The council is also planning a field trip to an agricultural biotechnology business in May.
About TARDC
Based in The Research Triangle Park, The Triangle Area Research Directors Council (TARDC) is an organization comprised of a broad cross section of industry, academia, and government, representing the region’s cutting-edge discovery and innovation.
The membership coalition of scientific leaders representing organizations in the Research Triangle Region of North Carolina meet monthly to discuss subjects of interest to the research community. Founded in 1974 by George Herbert (then President of RTI International) to promote cooperation in basic research and to stimulate scientific thought, TARDC seeks to influence and advocate for the advancement of research, technology and science through discussions that foster cross‐fertilization between the various scientific disciplines.
Although TARDC's mission is to provide a venue for the presentation of research-related topics to the group, the true purpose is to stimulate scientific thought and introduce an element of cross-fertilization between the various disciplines represented. Members are from a very broad spectrum of institutions ranging from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and the National Humanities Center to the region’s research universities. TARDC speakers over the past few years include Chancellor Holden Thorpe, Nobel Laureate Oliver Smithies, and leading scientists such as Dr. Anthony Atala who works in regenerative medicine at Wake Forest University, as well as our current governor, Beverly Perdue.
Become a member: Membership Application
Past Programs and Speakers
- Chancellor Randy Woodson, N.C. State University: "The State of NC State"
- Dr. Joe DeSimone, Liquidia Technologies: "Translating Advances in Nanosciences Borrowed from the Microelectronics Industry into New Medicines and Therapeutics"
- Dr. Candace Haigler, N.C. State University Crop Science Department: "Cotton fiber as a window into improvement of diverse cellulosic biomass and biomaterials crop plants"
- Dr. Peter Lange, Provost, Duke University: "U.S. Higher Education, Duke and the Global Demand for Outstanding University Teaching and Research"
- Dr. Niels van der Lelie, RTI International: "Introduction to the Center for Agricultural & Environmental Biotechnology"
- Dr. Li-An Yeh, BRITE Director, N.C. Central University: "Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise"
- Dr. Harvey Seim, UNC - Chapel Hill Marine Sciences: "An Update on Offshore Wind Energy off NC"
- Congressman David Price, North Carolina: “Perspective on the New Congress and Administration”
- Dr. Peter Agre, Vice Chancellor for Science and Technology, Duke University: “Adventures in RTP Area Science”
- Dr. Agre shared the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of aquaporins
- Mr. Matthew Szulik, President, Red Hat Software: “Open Minds - Open Source”
- Dr. Marye Anne Fox, Chancellor, NC State University: “The Commissionon the Future of NC State University”
- Dr. Charles Hamner, President, NC Biotechnology Center: “Biotechnology’s Role in an Ever-changing World”
- Chancellor James Ammons, North Carolina Central University: “The Present and Future of North Carolina Central University”
- Governor Beverly Perdue, North Carolina: “BRAC 2005 and the Impact of the Military on North Carolina
