By By Scottye Carter/The Meridian Star
July 29, 2001
Building a stronger economy through enhancing the value of technology is the goal of the Mississippi Technology Alliance, whose president will be in Meridian on Monday to outline her program.
Dr. Angeline Dvorak is on a statewide tour touting "Technology at Home in Mississippi." Her Meridian stop begins at 9 a.m. at Union Station. The meeting is free to anyone who wishes to attend and is designed to explain ways in which Meridian can advance its economy.
One of items up for discussion is how to attract industry clusters in order to boost an area's economy. Clusters form around a core industry such as high tech and computers in California's Silicon Valley.
Dvorak said the meeting will cover such topics as community technology assessment and ways to help local businessmen and women assess how improved technology can facilitate growth.
In Mississippi, communication and education technology can be improved, she said, noting additional opportunities exist in such areas as Remote Sensing Geomatics, advanced materials, life sciences and transportation.
Dvorak said the state program encourages each community to take responsibility for its own improvement.
According to Dvorak, the advancement of technology in Mississippi should be important to every Mississippian.
The Mississippi Technology Alliance is a non-profit organization whose mission is "to champion science and technology-based economic development for the state of Mississippi," she said.
Prior to joining the Alliance in November 2000, Dvorak was president of Ashland Community College in Kentucky. She has been involved in advanced computer and telecommunications technologies throughout her career.
Scottye Carter is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551.