From nanotechnology and microelectronics to modeling and simulation, Maryland is a global leader in the emerging industries of the 21st century. The innovative simulation technologies created here not only set the bar for the international industry but also save lives, whether by preparing U.S. soldiers for deployment through virtual military combat or by training medical workers for crisis situations through realistic simulation.

Advanced technologies that help drive the state’s economy are propelling a revolution in health care applications, medical diagnostics and training, simulation of combat and aerospace conditions for training warriors or workers, and development of materials to meet the needs of a wide range of industries in areas like adhesives and conductivity.

Distinctive advantages that Maryland offers, including its geographic location, its access to major research institutions and its diversely skilled work force, have made the state home to a leading cluster of nanotechnology initiatives. According to Small Times magazine, Maryland scored seventh overall nationally, second in the work force category and 10th in the venture capital category for the sector in 2007.

More than 15 federal agencies and university research facilities focused on nanotechnology/microelectromechanical systems support the industry concentration in Maryland. They include the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, the Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda and the Maryland Nanocenter at the University of Maryland College Park.

College Park ranks fifth nationally in nanotechnology-specific education and second in undergraduates focused on the discipline. University of Maryland, The Johns Hopkins University and other academic centers in the state also are repositories of faculty science expertise and technology transfer opportunities.

“There’s getting to be a real critical mass in nanotechnology here and it’s a terrific place for us to be,” says John Lettow, president of Vorbeck Materials Corp. in Jessup. The two-year-old company has about 20 employees and is still growing, he says.

Lettow points out that Vorbeck has already licensed a technology developed at Princeton University that reportedly enables economical commercial production of graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms that has extremely high thermal conductivity and is thought to be the strongest material in the world.

He cites convenient access to the Port of Baltimore as a key advantage of Vorbeck’s location in the I-95 corridor. “As we make new materials, it’s important to be able to ship them out around the world. Baltimore is a leading port and the transportation infrastructure is very big for us,” Lettow says.

He adds that all the major public- and private-sector institutions important to Vorbeck’s work — from the federal departments of transportation and energy in Washington to the university research centers and other facilities like NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt — also are within close proximity.

In terms of personnel, Vorbeck needs “a diverse work force,” from holders of Ph.D.s and MBAs to “highly skilled operations and manufacturing personnel who don’t have advanced degrees” — and Maryland provides both, Lettow says. “We need experienced chemical operators and Baltimore has a long tradition in the chemical industries,” he says. 

Location, location, location
Better access to a customer — the Pentagon — was a key reason American Dynamics Flight Systems (ADFS) relocated from Long Island, N.Y., to Maryland, says President/CEO Wayne Morse. The company, now in Jessup with a staff of six, is focused on the development of innovative aerospace and defense systems and technologies.

“We’re going after the Marine Corps TF3 unmanned aerial vehicle contract, which will be let next year, so we’re working very hard to build a prototype right now,” says Morse.

Last summer, the Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program awarded ADFS $135,021 in research project funding. ADFS is partnering with the Department of Aerospace Engineering in the University of Maryland’s Clark School of Engineering to develop a flight dynamics model and 6 degrees of freedom (6DOF) simulation model of the AD-150 unmanned aircraft.

Morse appreciates his Maryland location for other reasons as well. “We farm out a lot of work and like to keep it close to home. There’s a lot of talent in this state and things can get done quickly. We have been building relationships with a lot of other companies. It’s just a real good place to do business,” he says.

In addition to access to “a high-quality work force and the federal agencies, and a lot of prime government contractors,” Dr. Jacqueline Hines, president of Applied Sensor R&D Corporation (ASR&D) in Arnold, found valuable financial support in Maryland for her hightech startup. Two MIPS grants and additional funding from the Maryland Technology Transfer Fund have helped the firm “leverage out resources,” says Hines.

With a staff of six and a goal to continue expanding, her woman-owned small business develops microelectronic sensors and systems for a range of applications. Current programs include development of temperature and pressure sensors for application to space exploration and extreme environments.

Like other technology companies, ASR&D contributes to the growth of Maryland’s economy, says Hines. “We employ people highly educated in high-tech. We plan on growing into a manufacturing facility so we will have a range of employment opportunities. So it’s bringing high-quality people into the area and enhancing the work force in general,” she says. 

Maryland’s simulation saving lives
In addition to nanotechnology and microelectronics, Maryland’s business community includes more than 100 modeling, simulation and interactive technology companies, with the largest regional cluster of medical modeling/simulation and serious gaming companies.

As a premier hub for the industry, Maryland provides proximity to more than 50 federal agencies and associated research facilities that focus principally on modeling and simulation. Outstanding medical facilities that offer innovative medical applications while providing experts to instruct in micro- surgeries and leading- edge practices include Johns Hopkins, the University of Maryland Medical System, the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda and Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, which soon will be relocated to the Naval Medical campus.

The gaming industry, located principally in Hunt Valley, was launched in Maryland by Sid Meier, who lived in the area and started MicroProse Software in 1982. In its early years, the company focused on combat flight simulators and military strategy games.

That spawned other companies and Maryland became the foundation of a growing industry, says Steve Martin, CEO of Firaxis Games in Hunt Valley, a developer of computer and video games. “It’s like a family tree — MicroProse as the grandfather and all the children who have sprung from it,” says Martin. Meier, an industry legend, now is director of creative development at Firaxis.

“All of us are the progeny of Micro- Prose,” says Doug Whatley, CEO of Breakaway Games Ltd. in Hunt Valley, another leading developer of entertainment games and game-based technology products.

“It created a large base and with all of us spinning off from it, we have a base of companies now that support each other and also give people confidence to take jobs here. The games business is very up-and- down and people don’t like to take a job with a company that is someplace by itself. It’s nice to know that there’s another game company next door. It provides a little security,” Whatley says.

While Firaxis and other companies recruit from across the country, they also find an abundance of talent nearby. “Gaming requires a more creative skill set than productivity software. There’s a balance — having a mathematical mind and a creative mind at the same time. It takes a unique person,” says Martin.

He and Whatley cite the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore as a prime source of talent. “It has helped all the game companies here,” says Whatley. Martin adds that the University of Maryland Baltimore County has been “very strong with technology candidates.”

“The very educated work force from a lot of good schools in the area really helps us in finding the right people,” says Lucien Parsons, vice president of studio operations at ZeniMax Online Studios in Hunt Valley.

Some of them mentor others in the community, teaching at local schools and “helping people gain the skills to get into the industry,” Parsons says. “We have a pool of experienced talent plus the ability to bring new people in,” he says.

ZeniMax Online often hires for lower skilled jobs and then offers employees internships in other parts of the company, “so then they can either come to work for us or take their skills and go somewhere else,” says Parsons.

ZeniMax Online is part of the ZeniMax Media group of companies, which includes Bethesda Softworks, makers of the best-selling, award-winning Elder Scrolls Series. The company focuses on massive multiplayer online gaming.

Whatley says the proximity to military installations and defense contractors, which is important to many other technology industry sectors in Maryland, also helps gaming companies find the people they need.

“There’s a natural synergy between the types of engineers the military hires and the types we look for in the games business,” he says. “A lot of games are based on history and a lot of people in the military have an interest in history. People who get into the games business also want the challenge of doing what no one else has ever done technically and that fits the military-engineer type of person as well.”

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