Julie Wagner, president of The Global Institute on Innovation Districts, will be visiting East Tennessee from Europe at the invitation of Oak Ridge National Laboratory to discuss the Oak Ridge Corridor’s potential as an innovation center.
As part of her visit, Wagner will present a Director’s Lecture at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory titled The Rise of Innovation Districts: An economic growth model that leverages unique R&D strengths and capacities. The presentation will explain what innovation districts are, why they are valued by governments and other local stakeholders, and key factors leading to their success.
As president of The Global Institute on Innovation Districts, Wagner leads efforts to drive cutting-edge research, manage a global network of innovation districts, and provide detailed evidence-based strategies to advance the practice. She also serves as president of Urban Insight, a boutique consulting practice dedicated to the advancement of innovation districts. She is a prolific urban researcher and is co-author of the papers “The rise of innovation districts: A new geography of innovation in America” and “The evolution of innovation districts: The new geography of global innovation.”