Modeling and simulation industry can spur our economic recovery

by Dana Dickens, President and CEO of Hampton Roads Partnership

Gov. Tim Kaine's proposed state budget will require plenty of belt-tightening in Hampton Roads, but there is some good news for the region. The governor wants to maintain funding near its current level for Old Dominion University's Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC), and his strategy makes perfect sense.

The relatively new industry of modeling, simulation and visualization (MS&V), is the kind of economic development that can speed Virginia's recovery during challenging economic times. Currently, more than 125 engineering graduate students at ODU are conducting research and studying at VMASC, gaining the qualifications they need to fill jobs in a variety of businesses and industries throughout Hampton Roads.

MS&V comprises numerous planning, analysis and training tools made possible by sophisticated computing. These tools can suggest and test concepts, minimizing reliance upon trial and error, and they can present information in ways that enhance comprehension. For example, the tools might teach a medical student how to perform a surgical procedure without putting an actual patient in harm's way. Other applications are seen in simulations to test aircraft designs, in vehicular traffic models to simulate — and improve — flow along highways, in video games to teach algebra, and in models to predict the performance of a soldier or an athlete. Artificial intelligence, robotics and virtual environments also are part of MS&V.

An economic impact study released earlier this year by Angle Technology found that MS&V enterprises in the region provide more than 4,000 high- wage jobs. These workers earn an average annual salary of $83,000, up by 37 percent since 2004 and more than double the average for all Hampton Roads workers. Furthermore, the MS&V industry adds at least $365 million to the Hampton Roads economy, and MS&V employment rose 25 percent between 2004 and 2007 with forecasted growth of 14.5 percent each year through 2012.

VMASC, established by ODU in 1997, has been a catalyst for growth in the MS&V sector, not just in the region but across the commonwealth. VMASC experts also have been called upon by the General Assembly to conduct studies and make recommendations on policy matters ranging from road construction to disaster planning.

VMASC's mission is to educate leaders in this field, to conduct cutting-edge research, to nurture start-up companies and to create jobs. Independent surveys taken since 2004 show that the center is succeeding in its mission, and the governor sees great value in this investment.

The $2.1-million budget proposal for VMASC proposed by Kaine demonstrates his faith in the economic development stimulus of the MS&V industry in Virginia, and the unique role that VMASC plays in educating leaders in this field.

MS&V growth in the region reflects the support of leaders in government, education and industry who believe Virginia, especially Hampton Roads, can become an international leader in this high-technology field.

I applaud the governor for his efforts to keep MS&V as a key component of his economic development plan for Virginia. It is this kind of strategic investment that will allow us to weather the current financial storm and emerge vibrant and prosperous.