Penley Panel

The need for higher education in Colorado is expected to grow in the next two decades, and employers increasingly will continue to demand a more highly skilled workforce. This issue of The Competitive Edge addresses how Colorado State University is prepared to meet those challenges, ultimately improving Colorado’s educational and economic health with such innovative ideas as CSU-Colorado – a new online university designed to meet the educational needs of students in the 21st century – and high-efficiency solar-panel technology, which will provide a low-cost, sustainable energy alternative while bringing hundreds of jobs to Colorado. In fact, we will consider in depth the economic future of Northern Colorado during the inaugural Colorado State University Regional Economic Summit on Oct. 4. (Access www.oed.colostate.edu/economicsummit for more information.)

Preparing students for tomorrow’s workforce to address global problems of today resonates in this issue. After the Minnesota Interstate 35W bridge collapse in August, news stories proliferated, positing what went wrong in Minnesota and what could go wrong in Colorado. Colorado State University engineering professor and bridge expert Richard M. Gutkowski provides insight on the state of the nation’s bridges and explains, in a related story, how he and his team create new bridges from recycled materials.

Making better use of old mainstays is representative of another competitive Colorado industry – agriculture. This month’s Edge details how Colorado State scientists have developed a heartier and higher-yielding variety of wheat and also outlines how other CSU researchers have assessed the market potential of Colorado’s agritourism, providing practical information for state tourism officials as they establish marketing plans for Colorado.

Wheat, utility poles, and bridges seem to be the stuff of an old economy. CSU researchers, however, counter that notion as they partner with industry to incorporate innovation with sustainability and demonstrate just how we can use the knowledge of today to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Larry Edward Penley
Colorado State University President