Innovation has always been a part of the American spirit
and the driving force of the U.S. economy. From the lightbulb to the Internet,
from the Model-T to the autonomous vehicle, and from the telephone to the
cellphone – we are a nation of continuous technological advancements. Technology
comes in many forms and it is booming right here - in Houston, Texas.
Houston is a cutting-edge city
where science, academia and industry can collaborate to take the next giant,
innovative leap. Yet, many are still lamenting over Amazon passing over Houston
for their HQ2 and blaming it on a shortage of digital tech talent. In fact,
Houston has an abundance of tech talent that is being absorbed by the energy,
healthcare and aerospace industries.
Perhaps that kind of competition for tech-savvy professionals is too
much for Amazon.
Recently, Greater Houston
Partnership President and CEO Bob Harvey indicated that Houston’s lack of
digital talent may be why it didn’t make Amazon’s short list for HQ2. “While we are the number one market in the country
for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) talent, we need to bolster
our pipeline of digital tech talent that is relevant to tomorrow’s digital
economy,” stated Harvey. That statement is half true. Houston is
the STEM hub of the nation. It should focus on staying innovative in the
industries that make this the energy capital of the world and the home of the
largest medical complex in the world – two of the five major industries that
drive the U.S. economy. Instead of
trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, Houston should remain centered
around its natural strengths – energy, medicine and aerospace. It does not need to be the next Silicon
Valley. Innovation is essential for the medicine, energy and aerospace sectors to
continue to thrive in the future.
The energy industry is technology dependent, and it is no surprise that Houston is ranked 5th on the list of Top Ten Cities in the World to be anEngineer by Engineering Opportunities.com. It is the only U.S. city to make the list. Houston is the trailblazer for every element of the oil and gas industry such as exploration, production, transmission, marketing supply and technology. In fact, new energy technologies such as horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing and deep water offshore technology originated here or are based here.
“Houston is arguably now the country’s most important emerging city, with the largest job growth of any major metro area. Not only can engineers make money there, unlike in Silicon Valley, they can also afford to buy a house.” - Forbes.com
The energy industry is technology dependent, and it is no surprise that Houston is ranked 5th on the list of Top Ten Cities in the World to be anEngineer by Engineering Opportunities.com. It is the only U.S. city to make the list. Houston is the trailblazer for every element of the oil and gas industry such as exploration, production, transmission, marketing supply and technology. In fact, new energy technologies such as horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing and deep water offshore technology originated here or are based here.
The
Texas Medical Center (TMC) is at the forefront of advances in health sciences
with 5,700 of the world’s top medical researchers in the areas of genomics,
clinical research, regenerative medicine, immuno-therapeutics and health
I.T. It is home to both the largest children’s
hospital and the largest cancer hospital in the world. There are so many medical advancements and
breakthroughs to come out of the TMC such as performing one of the first heart
transplants to developing the MasSpec Pen, a device that allows surgeons to
analyze tissue while it’s still in the body and to be more precise about what
to preserve during cancer surgery
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| Approximately 658 acres available for development in Ellington Airport. Best uses: Office - Aviation - Institutional - Industrial |
Houston
is also an aerospace mecca that attracts the nation’s top high-tech professionals
for space technology and aviation industries.
It is home to the Lyndon B.
Johnson Space Center, the center for human spaceflight training,
research and flight control for the U.S. and NASA’s largest research and
development facility. Down the road is
Ellington Field, a multi-purpose commercial and general aviation facility and a
joint reserve military base to all five of the military branches, as well as
the Texas Air National Guard. In 2015, the
Federal Aviation Administration awarded the Houston Airport System a launch
site license, making Ellington Airport the 10th commercial spaceport in the
country that can be a potential launch and landing site for suborbital,
reusable launch vehicles.
Leaders from the medical and
energy industries have been in discussions to launch a data science institute
to develop groundbreaking research and keep Houston competitive in the tech
world. Brilliant idea! Houston has top-tier universities and medical
schools including Rice University, University of Houston, Texas A & M
University, Baylor College of Medicine and University of Texas Medical Branch
that produce the best and the brightest STEM workforce in the country. Tying academic partnerships with the energy
and the health sciences industries to establish a data science center will keep
Houston as the STEM hub for decades to come.
Yet, early last year, a plan by the UT System to do just that was shut
down. (“Texas Medical Center, Houston’s energy industry in talks on data science collaboration”) The
proposed location for the data center would have been on 300 acres south of
downtown. However, William McKeon,
president and CEO of the Texas Medical Center is now teaming up with Jeff
Shellebarger, President of Chevron’s North American exploration and production,
to put the consortium in a neutral location, since the proposed UT system was
met with much criticism. (“Texas Medical Center, Houston energy cos.
considering data science consortium”) If this collaboration of academia and industries
does result in a data science center that makes Houston the intellectual
epicenter, the economic outlook for the fourth largest city in the nation will
continue to be strong and the opportunities for commercial real estate will be
promising, as well.
People from all over the world
relocate here to take advantage of the abundant opportunities that this diverse
city offers. But, even the most robust
industries can have threats. Staying
innovative in energy, health sciences and aerospace is essential for Houston to
continue to be the leader of the major drivers of the U.S. economy.
(Rand
Stephens is a Principal of Avison Young and Managing Director of the company’s
Houston office.)
