VMASC
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Editorial
Saturday, March 25, 2006
In late January, Senator George Allen joined with former Governor Mark Warner to tout the benefits of state investment in scientific research at Virginia's public universities. Old Dominion University's Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center (VMASC) presents an example of how such an investment can deliver multiple dividends.
Initiated to help the military simulate large-scale battlefield conditions, VMASC has spun off a number of commercial, public, and educational benefits. The center has cooperated with Eastern Virginia Medical School to create the Virtual Operating Room, which allows medical students to sharpen their skills without practicing on live patients. It works with the state on transportation issues such as traffic analysis and evacuation modeling. Researchers at VMASC are leading the way on simulating crowd behaviors -- something of keen interest to the military as it adapts to deployments involving urban warfare and rescue missions. VMASC also stands as an integral part of the Commonwealth's emergency management center.
Founded in 1997, VMASC already provides the state with a tangible financial return. A 2004 study by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission found that the center contributes more than $400 million to Virginia's economy, and forecasts that number could reach $1 billion in the next five years -- if it remains in the vanguard of modeling and simulation research. In fewer than 10 years, VMASC technology has brought more than 4,000 jobs to Virginia with an average annual salary of $60,000.
As leaders wrestle over the budget they should remember why increased funding for university research and development has received bipartisan support: It (1) is non-recurring money, (2) does not create new entitlements, and (3) has a proven track record of generating revenue and white-collar jobs. VMASC serves as an example of how university research funding can benefit the Commonwealth. Because it makes so much sense, one fears for its safety in the General Assembly.
