CLEMSON -- BellSouth has committed $50,000 to Clemson University's Spiro Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership for its work with the Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies. The funding will support a proposed Center for Economic Excellence in Photonic Materials.

The financial gift will support a feasibility study, development of marketing materials and a Web site, visits to companies and research centers to lay a foundation for research relationships and industrial recruitment, an Entrepreneurship in Photonics Symposium, and entrepreneurial experiences for graduate students involved in photonic-related research.

"We are very glad to have BellSouth's support. They have been a partner with us in planning for this new initiative from the very beginning," said Caron St. John, director of the Spiro Center.

The Center of Economic Excellence in Photonic Materials will initiate and sustain partnerships and programs among researchers, educators, industrial partners and entrepreneurs to develop new photonics technologies and successfully transfer those technologies to new and existing companies. The goal is to spur technology-based economic development that will create jobs, build new companies and bring new companies to this region. At Clemson, this effort is led jointly by the Center for Optical Material Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET) and the Spiro Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

The coupling of COMSET's mission to create knowledge and innovation with Spiro's mission to educate and mentor for the creation of wealth makes this a unique program that will be the focal point for economic growth and development.

"BellSouth recognizes the far-reaching economic development potential from the commercialization of photonic materials research and a strengthening of collaborations between universities, private industry and economic development organizations in the region," said Hank Fisher, executive director of BellSouth-South Carolina. "BellSouth is excited about the opportunity to partner with Clemson and the Spiro Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership for technology transfer and commercialization of photonics materials in the telecommunications sector."

Through this gift, BellSouth will play an essential role as an early stage investor in an effort to transform the region into a hot spot of photonics technology firms. That will result in a stronger supplier network to the telecommunications industry as well as job growth.