Scientist seeks US investment in IMERC
Dr Val Cummins
Dr Val Cummins
1% of our GDP comes from the maritime economy but Dr Val Cummins, Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster, is determined to change that.
As government ministers travel all over the world this month capitalising on St Patrick’s Day to attract foreign investment to the country, Dr Cummins, Director of Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster (IMERC) is embarking on a seven week tour of the US. She will meet with the leaders in her area with a view to developing the world’s largest renewable energy research centre in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork by 2013. Already oneUSnaval company has committed to setting up in Ringaskiddy.
"Ireland has the third-largest sea area and the largest maritime area to land mass in the EU. Our 1 percent derived from the maritime economy compares with 20 per cent of GDP for Norway, 11 per cent for Denmarkand 5 per cent for Britain. A recent Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland study forecast 52,000 jobs in marine renewables by 2030, if the right supports are put in place.
"New opportunities exist in the development of niche products and services targeted towards global growth sectors such as marine energy, shipping, logistics and transport, marine tourism and recreation, maritime security, maritime training and maritime ICT and we are delighted to be collaborating with companies such as EMC to bring the commercial potential in maritime ICT into the spotlight."
Dr Cummins works on behalf of a tripartite alliance of University College Cork, the Irish Naval Service and the Cork Institute of Technology. Her role is to promote Ireland’s marine profile by marrying the best of academic research to commercial development in the context of sustainable development of our coastal communities.
Together they aim to build the world’s largest renewable energy research centre by next year. By 2014 they hope to create 70 new research jobs and they plan to house five campus companies by 2015. The target for 2016 is to have a world renowned cluster with a minimum of two foreign direct investment clients. A number of small and medium-sized enterprises have already forged links with IMERC in the maritime security area. Work on the new campus, UCC Beaufort Laboratory has begun and it will house a national ocean energy test tank facility and will compliment energy research at UCC’s Tyndall Institute.
"Our relationship with the National Maritime College is pivotal to our development and it will allow SMEs to draw on the experience of mariners who know about cables, moorings and who understand the logistical dimension to work in the marine environment." As Cummins says, there is a €15.4 billion global in maritime security alone that can be tapped into. The key areas of focus will be ocean engineering, eco systems governance, maritime operations and maritime technology development. "It’s about joined up thinking, but that can take a lot of work to create a common mindset," Dr Cummins says. "Sensible things don’t happen overnight."
While in the US, Dr Cummins will investigate how the Americans manage their renewable energy and coastal development and meet with potential investors in the new Centre in Cork. She has been awarded an Eisenhower Fellowship which is targeted at young leaders internationally and she will meet the experts in her area in a customised programme, as well as Eisenhower Board members, including Colin Powell.
Dr Cummins’ interest in sustainable development of our ocean and coastal resources arose from her time as a trainee and watch leader at sea on the Irish sail training vessel, Asgard 11. She completed a BSc in Marine Geography in Cardiff and, at age 26, was put in charge of the Coastal and Marine Research Centre at UCC with 10 research staff which she subsequently grew to 40 people. In June of 2010 she changed roles within and now focuses on creating the space for science and job creation within IMERC.