Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/479389
96 Doing Business in Connecticut | 2014 Connecticut's world-class higher education sector provides a strong academic backbone for the state's economy Sector Sponsored By: Industry sPOtLIGHt › By Daniel Kline C onnecticut is home to some of the finest institutions of higher education in the United States and perhaps even the world. at means students who earn degrees at Connecticut colleges are receiving world-class educations that will prepare them for an increasingly competitive economy. It also means that the state as a whole has a vital resource in its institutions of higher education. Big name schools like Yale University in New Haven are of course recognized around the world for churning out top talent. But nearly every college in Connecticut has found a niche to fill. Top flight computer engineers are coming out of the University of Bridge- port. Wesleyan University in Middletown may be known for its top-notch liberal arts educa- tion, but it also has a stellar rate of medical school placements for its alumni. In addition to producing best-in-class graduates, colleges in the state are reaching out to the business community to seed economic development through research opportunities and entrepreneurial support. Providing added value As the state's flagship public university, the University of Connecticut is leading the charge to provide academic support for driving innovation in the state. One of the best examples of this support is the Pratt & Whitney Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center at UConn, a partnership between UConn and Pratt, the Connecticut-based manufacturer of jet engines. e center, which opened in 2013, is one of the most advanced additive manufacturing laboratories in the nation. Additive manufactur- ing is the process of producing parts by adding small particles of material, as opposed to remov- ing material from a solid block. e lab not only researches the field of additive manufacturing, it actually acts as a factory that uses the latest in 3-D manu- facturing equipment and rapid prototyping technologies. e center is the first facility of its kind in the Northeast and it's pioneering a type of manufacturing that needs the highly educated workers that Connecticut's colleges and universities turn out. "Because additive manufacturing is more dependent on expertise, and less on manpower, it has the potential to make Connecticut manu- facturing more competitive, as well as boosting the competitiveness of the aerospace manu- Education & Research Education & Research PHOTO/© Hxdbzxy | dreamsTime.cOm