SCIENCE

Springfield's business leaders gathered Monday to watch Congressman Dave Hobson (OHIO-R) cut the ceremonial ribbon on the doors of Avetec's new National Center for Advanced Modeling and Simulation. "This marks an important day in Springfield's 21st Century renaissance," said Hobson, who will retire at the end of this, his 18th year in Congress. "Avetec's innovative virtual testing environment is strengthening this community by creating access to a new technology infrastructure and good jobs." Avetec's new 37,000 square-foot facility houses state-of-the-art research capabilities, educational classrooms and office space that will aid its mission to accelerate applied scientific discovery using virtual testing environments to research solutions to complex problems. Avetec's virtual testing research could facilitate a dramatic reduction in the cost and time it takes to solve complex problems, such as the design, development and testing of new jet turbine engines for commercial and military applications. The center will serve as a collaborative innovation hub for scientists, engineers and educators. The building features a 3,000 square-foot simulation room, which is capable of projecting 3-D high-definition images. It boasts connectivity to the state's Third Frontier fiber optic network and to high performance computing centers across the nation, including U.S. Department of Energy laboratories. The center's location on U.S. Route 40 at Nextedge Applied Research and Technology Park is close to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, local colleges and universities, and major cities including Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati. Avetec is one of three national leaders in the National Aerospace Leadership Initiative (NALI). NALI is led by Avetec in Ohio and companies from Connecticut and Pennsylvania -- regions whose industrial capabilities are central to the aerospace industry. "The National Center for Advanced Modeling and Simulation is one of the new businesses in town that will change Springfield's future economic landscape," Hobson said. "State-of-the-art facilities like this have the capability to attract more businesses and families to move to the area while creating jobs and opportunities for Springfield residents." Hobson was instrumental in helping Avetec secure a $9.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund the project.