They are a way for a big university to enhance its research capacity, enhance its ability to discuss and bring together people for learning, and advancing knowledge that's not strictly classroom instruction.

The lottery has become the white noise of society. It doesn't stand out as it once would have. As long as people here keep the lottery cool and don't offend the North Carolina sensibility — as long as it doesn't get tacky —I think it'll come off fairly well here.

That's what eventually pushed North Carolina over the divide. It gave Governor Easley an argument: Why should our people be paying for schools in Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina?

In general, what they allow folks like me to do is take what I've learned and the resources of the university and connect them to the greater society.

One of the biggest barriers research and academic institutions face is the ability to get discoveries made in the lab into clinical testing. The new Exploratory IND guidance emphasizes the flexibility available to researchers when conducting early clinical testing of these cutting-edge treatments. As we enter the era of personalized medicine, these exploratory approaches enable scientists to take full advantage of new technologies to target the development of more individualized therapies.

Colorado State is setting the standard for the 21st century land-grant university by seeking new ways to provide research, knowledge and information to the industries that drive our state economy. The Competitive Edge newsletter is one way to get the latest research on industry and issues directly to the people who can best use that information.