MATRIC Draws on Valley's Pool of Retired Scientists
Charleston Sunday Gazette-Mail
February 13, 2005
By Jennifer Ginsberg
A group formed to tap into the resources of Kanawha Valley's retired scientists has written 38 research proposals worth $22 million since April 2004.
The Mid-Atlantic Technology Research and Innovation Center (MATRIC) has won four and lost eight of these contracts, said President Keith Pauley. The South Charleston group is still waiting to hear back on 26.
"We have a lot in our pipeline," he said. "We're just beginning to win and perform on some of the exciting contracts we've proposed against."
The group began working on a $300,000, four-year contract with Oak Ridge National Laboratory of Tennessee earlier this year. MATRIC employees will determine how to produce chemical products from natural gas using advanced chemical processes, Pauley said.
MATRIC is also working on a $50,000, one-year contract with the Department of Defense to develop displays for Navy ships and work on human-machine interface technology.
The group is working for a Kanawha Valley chemical company to see if there's a new chemistry that could enable the company to reopen its facility.
The one-year contract's payment will be determined by MATRIC's success, Pauley said.
MATRIC has finished a $20,000 project for the Titan Corp. at the NASA facility in Fairmont that looked at software validation for the next generation of manned space flight vehicles.In addition to winning contracts, MATRIC employees have been working to meet its $750,000 local fund-raising goal. The group exceeded the goal, but continues to seek startup money to expand its capabilities, Pauley said.
Thirteen people now work for the nonprofit firm that's modeled after the Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina. The group has three research specialties: chemicals, biotechnology and software systems.
MATRIC's offices moved from the Charleston Area Alliance's Smith Street business incubator to the Dow Chemical-owned South Charleston technology park in January.
The group used $50,000 in federal funds to refurbish office and laboratory space in the park.
Pauley said the group will continue to propose, win and work on new contracts through 2005. MATRIC is working closely with the Charleston Area Medical Center, West Virginia University and Marshall University to propose research projects in the biotechnology and medical fields.