EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
AxoGen is a successful public company formed with intellectual property licensed from the University of Florida . The company created the Avance ® Nerve Graft , which has changed the lives of people with peripheral nerve damage , including helping wounded warriors regain limb function . AxoGen has a capitalization of over $ 293 million and employs over 110 .
The intellectual property of the company was created and validated by research scientists , surgeons and physicians working in basic , applied and clinical research . This study considers the infrastructure necessary to repeat and expand the research-driven success of companies like AxoGen .
To increase success , we must understand the inputs , outputs and outcomes of the system . We propose measuring the regional strengths of research through citation counts as an appropriate output . Citations are peer affirmations of the merits of “ new recipes ” ( or the technical ideas captured in scientific papers ). They are crucial to the only form of economic growth that is largely freed from natural resource limitations .
In this study , we select STEM 2 jobs as the outcome . We then show a strong and statistically significant connection between scientific strength measured by citations and STEM employment . Florida metropolitan statistical areas ( MSA ’ s ) included in the analysis underperform relative to cities similar in size or status as capital cities .
Florida is outperformed on citations almost four to one when compared to peer states by size : California , Texas and New York . A lower publication level is amplified by a smaller citation rate per paper , with the combination impacting the Florida total citation count . Citation counts result from the number and quality of papers from a region , and publication counts are driven by the number and quality of a regions scientists .
Florida scientists are outmanned almost two to one . Even world-class baseball teams can ’ t compete when missing four of nine players . In science , the competition is strong and on a significant measure of scientific quality , the number of National Academy Members , Florida is topped by peers 12 to one .
The contributing factors to this underperformance are impacted by the choices of decades ago . We identify potential influences , which over the long term appear to have dampened funding options available to engage research personnel in Florida .
Finally , we show that regardless of this broader resource scarcity , when our institutions are paired with the appropriate resources , they succeed in creating the knowledge outputs that help form or attract high-wage STEM employment . Regenerative medicine , photonics / optics and life sciences are examples of Florida success in cluster creation .
Together , we can change the character of our economy !
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