Sen. Booker tours South Jersey Tech Park at Rowan University

U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) on August 17 toured Rowan University’s South Jersey Tech Park, which includes federally funded research and development for the manufacturing, infrastructure, and aerospace industries.

Booker visited the Tech Park’s Center for Research and Education in Advanced Transportation Engineering Systems (CREATES), the CAVE Automatic Virtual Reality Environment, and the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Institute. He supported the designation of CREATES as a U.S. Department of Transportation National University Transportation Center, a program designed to address the need for safe, efficient, and environmentally sound transportation through the creation of partnerships between government and universities.

“Partnerships between the federal government and institutes of higher learning are what drive our nation’s innovation and prosperity,” Booker said. “The students, professors, and leadership at Rowan University are working on groundbreaking projects—from rocket engine tests for NASA, to environmental studies for local governments, to research used in the aerospace and biomedical industries. I was proud to visit and see this research firsthand today.”

“Rowan’s research capability will continue to impact the greater good for the citizens of our great state. We are extraordinarily grateful for the support and leadership of Senator Booker as we work together to address New Jersey’s—and our nation’s—challenges, particularly in areas of health, transportation, food production, and defense materials,” said Rowan President Ali A. Houshmand.

“With the help of state and federal legislatures, Rowan University is poised to transform higher education in the State of New Jersey and beyond. As the third fastest growing research institution in the country, we are well on our way toward our goal of becoming a top 100 research institution.

“Pending accreditation, the Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine will be the first in New Jersey,” Houshmand continued. “Collaboration between the veterinary school, our two medical schools, the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, CREATES, and industry partners puts Rowan in a strong position to deliver on our mission of expanding access to a quality, affordable education while also driving economic growth in the South Jersey region.”

Booker’s tour of the Tech Park was part of his 2022 Jersey Summer Road Trip, a series of stops highlighting the priorities he continues to fight for in the U.S. Senate on behalf of the state’s residents. The road trip is focusing on Booker’s ongoing commitment to serving New Jersey’s veterans, his efforts to secure congressionally directed spending for critical New Jersey projects and organizations, and his support of local businesses and industries, among other things.

Booker toured the Tech Park with Houshmand, Rowan Provost Tony Lowman, Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Dean Giuseppe Palmese, CREATES Director Dr. Yusuf Mehta, and engineering students. Gloucester County Commissioners also were in attendance, as were other Rowan officials.